


Dream Sweet In Sea Major

by AcidClovers



Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Angst, First Aid, How Do I Tag, I'm drowning in angst, Kokichi gets vibe checked, Kokichi is a man-child, M/M, Oma Kokichi Being Oma Kokichi, Shuichi gets vibe checked, Shuichi's Dad is here, Slow Burn, So much angst, There's art too, as brought to my attention by a commenter, but he's kind of irrelevant, like really slow burn, siren oma kokichi, this is a game of cat and mouse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-08
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:08:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 22,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22618390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AcidClovers/pseuds/AcidClovers
Summary: Shuichi has been working at his dad's aquarium for as long as he can remember. He's juggling college, helping out at the aquarium, his very dead social life, and the weight of two of his friends deaths. Getting dragged into the middle of the ocean by his father at who-knows-what-o'clock isn't at the top of his list. But neither is coming face to face with a highly dangerous fish-boy.aka: another stereotypical Siren fic for my soul because I'm self indulgent and live for these AU's
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s), Oma Kokichi/Saihara Shuichi
Comments: 127
Kudos: 396





	1. Alone at the edge of a universe

**Author's Note:**

> TW: There are near-death experiences and a few heavy-ish topics.
> 
> Hey! It's finally here! After a month of planning I finally started writing this! I plan on it having 14 chapters but idk if that'll change. I'll probably post bi-weekly too
> 
> EDIT- I made a ref for kokichi  
> [Siren Kokichi Ref](https://www.deviantart.com/acidclovers/art/Kokichi-Siren-Ref-829820954)

Shuichi looked over the small fishing boat into the inky sea. He didn’t know what unholy hour of the night it was. But all the same, he was awake far later than he should be. He didn’t know why he agreed to go with his father on such a late trip, but he still took the offer. So there he was, on the edge of a tiny boat in the middle of the night, looking out towards nothing. He should've guessed that something would happen, something always happens when you stay up past midnight.

Shuichi’s eyes landed on a cluster of rocks not too far away from the ship. They were quite close actually. A little too close. Shuichi turned around to warn his father about the danger when his body completely froze in his step. A sweet humming reached his ears, sending shivers down his spine like a cold stream of water. He spun around against his own will and looked back to the rocks. There, right in front of him, was a small figure facing away from him. She was thin and pale, even in the dim light. Her dark hair dripped just past her shoulders and she swayed to the rhythm of her own music.

Shuichi’s mind fogged the longer he listened, like tv static was flooding his brain. He leaned over the rail of the boat reaching out to the girl. He couldn’t reach her, she was just out of his grasp. He stretched a little farther, almost there, he was so close. Shuichi’s gut lurched as he tipped over the edge, his world slowing as he fell to the water. He hit the cold sea with a soft splash, and all the air in his lungs got knocked out of him. He sunk farther from the surface, farther from the girl. Cold, black water encased him as he started his journey to the bottom of the ocean.

Where was her voice? It was gone now, not a hint of it could be heard from where he lay. She sounded like a goddess with a promise of paradise. Is this the paradise she promised? Here at the end of his consciousness, where the cold slowed his senses and dulled the burning that buzzed through his core? Shuichi could accept this. It was so peaceful here. So quiet and empty. Was he dying? Is this where it ends?

The shadow of the fishing boat, his only tie back home, turned away and left with speed. Why were they leaving? Did they want to leave him here? That’s upsetting. It’s okay though, Shuichi didn’t mind, It’s quite nice here. Maybe this is good, this could be good. Shuichi smiled, Kaede would be so happy to see him. Kaede. Why did she leave him here?

Oh, that’s new. He’s going up now. Look, you can see the sky Shuichi. Isn’t it so pretty? When was the air so thin, so cold? Don’t you want to go back? Back to the water and back to the promise of returning to Kaede? He can see now, he can breathe.

Shuichi lurched forward and puked the saltwater he had ingested. His throat burned and he shuddered from the cold. It was so, so cold. His clothes stuck to him in the most uncomfortable ways and did not help him in retaining whatever warmth he had left. He immediately fell flat on his back, looking back towards the sky. His brain felt slow and dizzy. He couldn’t think very well. 

Someone leaned over him, looking down at the pitiful sight. The girl? No, that’s not a girl. Their face was smooth, and their hair was long, but something about it was off. Maybe it was the board-flat chest or his face that gave it away.

Shuichi groaned, closing his eyes, “Put me back, let me go back, please.”

The boy looked at the other, perplexed, “Uh, excuse me? I go through all that work hauling your ass up here and you want to go back in? Sorry but no,” He said, patting down any pockets he could find.

Shuichi laughed to the best of his ability, “It’s alright, I know I’m going to die. This is just a lot sooner than I thought. Please, I want to see her again.”

Mystery boy pinched his eyebrows together, “Okay Mr. Edgy, back to shore with you,” he singsonged, pinching the zipper and sliding it down to Shuichi’s collar bone.

The boy began to hum, grabbing a dainty necklace that hung around Shuichi’s neck. Isn’t that important? He shouldn’t let the boy take it, or touch it. His voice is so pretty though, so calming. Going to sleep sounds like a much better idea. Yeah, he would just… go… to sleep…

\---

The sun burned on his skin. It was way too bright and the sand didn't help him in the slightest. Shuichi woke up immediately. Since when did he fall asleep on the beach? 

The boy slowly sat up, cradling his aching head in his hands. He was so dehydrated and hungry. His whole body ached as he made his way into a standing position. How did he get here?

Sand stuck in his hair and caked on his limbs. He could feel the salt crusting in his hair, lashes, and he could taste it in his mouth. A headache pounded through his skull as he looked around. The beach was surprisingly empty and it was fairly late as the sun had just come up.

Shuichi reached in his back pocket and retrieved his phone. He held the on button and hoped it would turn on. With no such luck, he placed it back in his pants. He sighed, turning around and looking at the tall staircase that would soon aid his journey up the cliffside. 

After a treacherous climb of about three sets of stairs, Shuichi arrived at a quiet street with a few dingy buildings that looked like they were on the brink of falling apart. He glanced around hoping to find any way to contact home. There!

An old payphone! Shuichi hobbled to the payphone and almost cried when he saw the insert coin sign, and then almost cried again from relief when he saw the small stack of quarters placed on top of the phone. Shuichi made his payment and spun his father's number, then waited for him to pick up. 

Ring… ring… ring…

Come on, pick up.

Ring… ring… ring…

Please, it’s urgent!

Ring… Ring… CLICK!

“Hello? Who is it?” a gruff voice asked, a similar one muttered in the background.

“Dad! I’m alive! I woke up on a beach and I need to be picked up. I’m at uh…” Shuichi looked up towards the nearest street sign and repeated it to his dad along with whatever beach the plate by the staircase displayed.

Shuichi’s dad gasped, “Saihara! You’re alive! Thank the heavens above! We’ll be there as soon as possible, stay where you are!”

A long ring sounded signaling he had been hung up on. Shuichi sat on the curb, thinking over what had just happened. He didn’t remember falling asleep on the beach. He barely remembered the events of last night at all. All he could bring up was being on a rickety boat, a small girl, no, a small boy, and the hazy memory of being dragged through the ocean.

He excused the boy and the feeling of moving through the water as part of a dream. He couldn’t help but the nagging feeling that he almost died. Shuichi spent the next hour trying his best to remember, but little to no luck.

A pickup truck swerved next to the curb, coming to a screeching stop. Kaito and Maki sat at the front, but Shuichi’s dad wasn’t in sight, unsurprisingly. “Get in! You have a lot of explaining to do,” Kaito ordered, and Shuichi complied.

Maki tossed back a water bottle and a wrapped sandwich along with a bag of IBuprofen to follow. Downing the bottle in a few gulps and stuffing his face with the sandwich, it took the edge off his thirst and hunger. Kaito peeked in over his seat and cleared his throat, “So Shuichi, that was quite the scare, huh? Your dad couldn’t come, too booked right now.”

He smiled to the best of his ability, “It’s okay, even if I was just on the brink of death. No big deal.”

“What happened? Your dad said you were on a fishing run and when he came back, you weren't on board,” Maki quickly changed the subject.

Shuichi stayed silent, thinking of what to say before proceeding to speak, “I don’t know. All I remember was being on the boat, falling over, and being brought back to the surface. There was some boy there too. I think he saved me? He had some odd features about him, I swear he had slits on either side of his neck and his ears looked like fans. After that, I only remember the sensation of being dragged through the water. Everything else is blank.”

“Maki, check his temperature, I think he’s sick. Probably from sleeping on the beach,” Kaito ordered.

Maki turned around and pressed her hand to Shuichi’s forehead, “Hm, you don’t seem to be sick. Are you sure you’re okay? You might be going crazy if you’re hallucinating or remembering things that never happened.”

“I’m sure! I guess it is a bit odd, but I swear it happened!” He pushed Maki’s hand away and looked out the window, “It seems too real to be fabricated.”

All three of them sat in silence for the rest of the ride, no one willing to break the silence that wormed its way in. Eventually, Kaito pulled into Shuichi’s dad’s driveway. Hopping out of the car, Shuichi said his goodbyes and stumbled inside.

The house was empty, not a single light on. Shuichi couldn’t help but feel disappointed. He took a quick shower, warm enough to be soothing and cool enough to keep him awake. Immediately afterward, he collapsed in his bed, not caring that his soaked hair would leave a blue stain on his pillow from the dye.

Falling into a deep sleep with the taste of salt still lingering in his mouth, Shuichi dreamt of the boy and a glint of silver slipping off his neck.


	2. It's Now & Never

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Conflict only means bad news in the ocean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh god I'm so sorry I have to make you read this nightmare chapter!  
> I was almost late but I just made it. Enjoy!

Dolphins, Kokichi decided, are little sons of bitches.

He hated how they grabbed every ounce of food before he could snatch it for himself. The whole pod was struggling to get around them, along with swerving out of the way of sharks and whales. Sardines aren’t rare and there are plenty of them, but the issue would be competing with all the other bastards fighting for food.

So there he was, racing to be the first to get his claws on the small silver fish. He’d done this routine time and time again without flaw, but it was a surprise when he collided with a much larger figure and came to see it was not a member of his pod. “Oh hello Tsumugi, what a pleasure to meet you on this fine day,” Kokichi growled through barred teeth.

“Why yes, it is. I don’t suppose you have rights over this school, do you?” Tsumugi swam in circles around the much smaller siren.

“Are you challenging me?” the fins on each side of Kokichi’s face flared along with the spines on his back.

“It appears so. Are you going to make the first move, or should I?” the larger siren made distance between Kokichi and herself.

Kokichi didn’t respond as they were already circling each other, both tense and waiting for one to take action. He didn’t necessarily want to fight anyone, but his pod's survival depended on this. They needed food and if Kokichi lost this fight, he would be pushed out and have to find new territory.

The two of them had gained a crowd from members of both the pods and the atmosphere only got increasingly more unstable. It was unclear who lashed first, but suddenly Kokichi was clawing at Tsumugi’s throat.

Tsumugi dogged him and used her tail to take a solid blow to Kokichi’s gut. The air knocked out of him and he faltered for a moment, which was ultimately a bad move on his end. He could barely register the feeling of flesh tearing in his tail, chest, and arm. He could taste his blood in the water. Lashing back, Kokichi dragged his claws wherever he could get them, and lucky for him, he hit Tsumugi’s cheek.

Sharp claws grabbed both his shoulders. “You little-” Tsumugi hissed before her eyes went wide, and she hightailed it in the other direction. Kokichi looked around and noticed that he was only the only siren left there. A shadow fell over him and he glanced up. 

The figure of a ship loomed over him, blocking out the sun. Kokichi didn’t have time to react before he was swept up, making his way to the surface at an alarming rate. A thick rope that made up the net scratched against his skin as he thrashed, looking for a way out. He was hit with the stinging cold of air the moment he broke through the surface.

The air burned his throat and gills as he rasped, trying to get used to the new change. The rope tightened around him as he was lifted higher, restraining his movements. Kokichi’s whole world spun, his senses going haywire. Blood poured from his wounds, sticking to his skin and scales. He hit the deck and his vision blurred. 

Kokichi looked up to his spinning surroundings. He lay on the floor of a small boat, many figures surrounding him, some murmuring and some yelling. He couldn’t make out what they were saying as everything melted together. Kokichi thrashed and screeched, propping himself on his arms. He hissed at the humans, baring his teeth and flaring his fins in defense. 

One of them stepped forward with a sharp object in their hands. Kokichi scrambled away, desperately trying to make space. His attempts were proven feeble as a weight hit his shoulders and he collapsed onto the floor. A stinging sensation shot through his arm as a needle plunged into his flesh. 

Kokichi whined as his world dipped to black.

\---

Shuichi leaned up against the wall in an empty hallway scrolling through his phone. He just got on break when a coworker of his called for his attention. “Hey, Shuichi! Your dad asked you to go to the backroom with the unused tank, he wants to talk to you or something,” He pointed in the direction where Shuichi was wanted.

Shuichi nodded and made his way across the large building, passing by many mystified children and their parents. He stood outside the door, bracing himself before he entered. Pushing the door open and walking into a very… Interesting situation.

Shuichi’s dad and one of the employees was lifting a small boy into an even smaller tub. The boy was, well, a boy. From the waist up at least. Below that, where his legs were supposed to be, a long violet tail flopped onto the floor. After the two men dropped the boy into the tank (Unfairly harshly he must note), his father noticed him at the doorway. “Ah, there you are! Look what we hauled up! It looks to be severely injured and hostile. We knocked it out with sedatives and brought it here. I don’t know when it will wake up, but tend to its wounds while we set up a bigger tank,” he gestured to the tub.

Shuichi stared at the unconscious figure in disbelief. He knew he wasn’t hallucinating that boy just a few days ago, but he didn’t think it would be proven. If his memory served correctly, this was the same boy that hauled him out of the water. Shuichi shook himself out of his trance, bringing himself back to reality.

Both the older men had left to fill a tank, so he was now alone with the unconscious boy. Opening a cabinet, Shuichi rummaged around for medical supplies and found disinfectant, cotton balls, and many water-proof bandages. It wasn’t much, but it would have to do. Laying all the supplies out on a table, Shuichi turned around to start his work.

Of course, there had to be unfair timing, because the unidentified boy was wide awake in front of him. They both stood there, motionless and staring at each other. They both broke the short-lived silence screaming like little girls at their very first sleepovers. The siren shrunk back as much as he could in such a small tub, his body language defensive.

Shuichi stepped forward cautiously, a hand reaching out, “Uh, hey? Can you… can you understand me?”

The siren stared blankly at him.

“Oh, um. This might be difficult. I’m not going to hurt you. I’m just going to fix up your wounds, but I need you to sit still, okay?” Shuichi felt ridiculous talking to something that probably doesn't understand him, but hoped the tone in his voice would get across the fact he was harmless.

Shuichi reached his hand out and touched the gash on the other's tail. The scales felt smooth and surprisingly warm to the touch. The other flinched at Shuichi’s hand but soon relaxed to let him work.

Shuichi started by filling a cup with fresh water and then cleaning out the cuts one by one. The siren watched him pour the water over the wounds, “Huh, it hurts, but not as much as I thought it would.”

Shuichi jumped back, startled that the other boy spoke up, “You… you talk. Okay great, this makes things a little easier. What’s your name?”

“Kokichi Oma, it’s a pleasure! And you are?” Kokichi grinned, his attitude a whole one-eighty from what it just was.

“I’m Shuichi, Shuichi Saihara. I’m going to put disinfectant cream on your wounds now, I need you to sit very still,” Shuichi said, beginning to apply the cream around the edges of the wounds.

Thankfully the bleeding from the wounds stopped, allowing Shuichi to apply what he needed to. Kokichi winced, looking anywhere but the gashes. “How did this even happen?” Shuichi asked, holding his arm down.

Kokichi grinned shakily, “Well, I was surrounded by sharks and separated from my pod. There were so many of them! I was going to die! Luckily, by some miracle, I survived and fended them off! All five of them!”

Shuichi raised an eyebrow in disbelief. He was so small, It’s impossible to believe the story. He moved to the waterproof bandages and began to wrap it around the necessary areas. “I highly doubt that that happened,” Shuichi said.

“Well it’s true,” Kokichi defended.

“I don’t believe it.”

“You should.”

“I don’t.”

“Why don’t you believe me?” Kokichi whined.

“Because your claim is unrealistic!” Shuichi replied, slightly annoyed. 

Shuichi finished the last of the bandages, stood up, and promptly walked out of the room. He needed to call Kaito. Pulling out his phone with much-unneeded force, Shuichi punched in his close friend's number. Kaito picked up almost immediately, “Hey dude! Why are you calling? Shouldn’t you be at work?”

“Yes, well, something happened. You won’t believe this, but I wasn’t hallucinating! That boy I saw? He’s real, and he’s sitting in a bathtub one room over,” Shuichi whispered into the mic on his phone.

“Shuichi, I think you’re going crazy. You should see a doctor,” Kaito suggests.

“I’m being serious! Come over tomorrow and I’ll prove it. Just trust me okay?” He requested, only a little desperate to prove himself.

“Okay, but if you're wrong, you’re going to see a doctor. I have to go now, later Shuichi,” Kaito rushed out before promptly hanging up.

Shuichi walked back into the spare room to see his dad rolling in a mostly full tank, and a portable staircase attached. His dad nodded as a signal to move Kokichi into the tank. Putting one arm behind the other's shoulders and the other in the crook of his tail, Shuichi lifted Kokichi bridal style out of the tub. “Wow, Shuichi! You’re really strong!” Kokichi cooed at the tall boy.

“And you’re… Surprisingly heavy!” Shuichi wheezed out, taking the first few steps up to the tank.

“Aw, you hurt my feelings! It’s not my fault I'm half fish! You’re so indecent,” Kokichi whined, his eyes welling up with tears.

Shuichi was now at the top of the stairs. He was exhausted and harshly dropped Kokichi into the tank, earning a loud SPLASH and a yelp from the dramatic man-child. “Sorry about that Kokichi,” Shuichi apologized.

Kokichi merely stuck his tongue out through the glass and retreated to the farthest corner from both of them. Shuichi would have reacted, but caught his father's slight warning stare, meaning he should return to his “work”. He walked away silently, continuing his many hours left of unwanted work with the siren still on his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to my beta Pic!  
> You are a life saver


	3. She knows you heard her staging music murder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW!!! DEATH/SUICIDE WARNING. CANON-TYPICAL, BUT A WARNING JUST IN CASE.
> 
> I got this done a little earlier than I thought? Early chapter though, why complain? So anyways, the wait for other chapters will be a little less... maybe. They'll probably still be bi-weekly
> 
> I didn't get this one beta'ed because I was so antsy to get it posted. Forgive me.
> 
> Sorry that it's so short

Shuichi dragged Kaito by the sleeves into the aquarium. The shorter boy was dead set on finally proving himself correct, while the taller assured he would have to talk the other into therapy… or any professional help. Shuichi dragged Kaito through the aquarium to the room where Kokichi is kept. Stopping outside the door, Shuichi turned to his friend, “Okay Kaito, after you see this, you cannot tell anyone. Please keep quiet and don’t do anything stupid.”

Shuichi didn’t wait for Kaito to comment or object to his terms before he opened the door and ushered him inside. He watched with a hint of satisfaction when Kaito’s jaw dropped at the sight before him.

Kokichi sat at the bottom of his tank, a long dark tail curled up to his chest. He had his head up against the glass, staring at seemingly nothing. The motion from the two boys must have caught his attention, because he focused on the new figure and shrunk away even more. 

Shuichi shook Kaito out of his daze. “See? I’m not crazy, he is real!”

“I… I need to sit down,” Kaito gulped, “and I need a drink of water. I don’t believe this. Fish people don’t exist!”

“Well the proof is right here. I don’t think there is much else to do,” Shuichi backed away, “Dad found him injured out at sea and pulled him up by some miracle. I don’t know how dangerous he is but I’m trying to aid him back to health.”

“Are you serious? You brought in this random… thing… that you don’t know the danger of, and you want to nurse it back to health? You do know you’re putting yourself at risk right?” 

“Well, yes. Kind of. But that’s not the point! The boy I saw that night is real, and his name is Kokichi!” He gestured to the tank the siren was currently being kept in.

“Okay Shuichi, I didn’t think I’d ever have to say this, but you're right. You’re not crazy, but this situation is, odd to say the least,” Kaito rubbed the back of his neck, “I don’t know what to say, this is so weird.”

Both boys jumped at the sound of someone clearing their throat, “I appreciate the sentiment and visitors, but it’s quite rude to talk about someone to their face and not include them. Now it’s really sweet of you guys to give me so much attention, but I would love to be left alone instead of being ogled over like a brand new birthday present.”

Shuichi’s face flushed from embarrassment and shame. He hadn't considered how Kokichi might feel right now. He felt gross from how he had just treated the other, this skin itching with regret. “I am so sorry, we will leave right away. Please forgive me,” Shuichi pleaded.

The sirens previously hurt expression melted away to a crooked grin, “Maybe I will, at a price. Your life at the least. You and your friends life at most,” Kokichi held a finger to his lips in a lopsided shushing motion.

Kaito immediately ushered Shuichi towards the door, “Absolutely not. You’re delusional. I’m leaving and Shuichi’s leaving. I hope you die of a slow and painful death by infection.”

The tall purple-haired boy slammed the door behind him, turning towards Shuichi in desperation. “That is a monster Shuichi! You can’t be near him! You will get hurt. Please think things through before getting close to him,” Kaito warned as they walked towards the exit.

Shuichi didn’t know if he meant physically or metaphorically, but he had a feeling that both applied.

Saying their goodbyes, Kaito left, leaving Shuichi to walk home alone. He was thinking over what he did wrong to Kokichi’s privacy and how he could make it up to him, even if he threatened to take their lives. He was almost home when his phone rang, disrupting his thoughts. Looking at the caller’s number, he immediately recognized it as his uncle’s.

“Hello? Do you need me for anything?” Shuichi unlocked the door to the empty home.

“No, you’re fine. You might want to sit down for this though, it has to do with Kaede.”

Shuichi’s breath hitched in this throat and he immediately ran up the stairs to sit on his bed and take the news. “What happened? Did you find anything?”

“Well we found her notebook, and now we know everything. Apparently she tells this book everything. I mean everything. I’ll send you the photos and leave you to read them on your own.I fully understand if you need time off to… soak it all in.”

Shuichi’s uncle hung up and he waited in anticipation for the photos to be delivered. His phone finally buzzed, signaling he had received them. Reading through the contents, Shuichi almost dropped his phone in shock.

August 12th,  
I did a bad thing today. It was an accident. I killed one of my closest friends. He was so kind to all of us. I didn’t mean to kill him, but I did. I can still hear the sickening sound of his skull collapsing. I miss him already, and I’m so guilty. God, I’m so so guilty. It’s eating me alive. I can’t function and I’m barely holding it together.

Shuichi struggled to read through his bleary eyes.

August 18th,  
They found his body. I really lucked out didn’t I? Why the library doesn't have cameras is beyond me. I don’t know how there were no witnesses or any evidence left to trace back to me immediately. I guess it was the right place at the right time. I can’t go on… It’s just too much. I miss being dirt-free. I did what I did, and now I have to pay. I don’t want to go to jail. There’s only one solution to solve all these answers. I miss everyone already.

His throat burned, but he held it in.

August 20th,  
Today’s the day. I’ll have time alone before my show. I’m so scared of the unknown. What’s going to happen to me afterwards? If anything at all? Goodbye everyone. Goodbye a care-free and forgiving Kaito. Goodbye a wise and thoughtful Maki. Goodbye my beloved and humorous Miu. Goodbye Shuichi. Shuichi, I’m so sorry to leave you alone here. I just hope you take my offer and befriend the others and grow stronger. I wish you the best in life. I hope you don’t forget me. I just hope Rantaro forgives me. 

Please forgive me.

Shuichi sobbed, tears freeing from his eyes and cascading down his cheeks. He missed her so much. He wished he had looked harder. He wished he got to say some meaningful last words to her. Why couldn’t he go back and save her? Why couldn’t he say goodbye, one last time?

-

August 20th

Shuichi walked towards the large auditorium. Kaede had been training on this day for months. She wouldn’t stop talking about it and seemed super excited. Walking in, he made his way to the back where he was sure she would be preparing for her big day.

The quiet boy knocked on her door, asking for permission to answer. The door didn’t have a lock, but it was polite to knock instead of barge in. He stood by the door for a solid minute before knocking again. Time passed and after the third time, Shuichi decided he should look inside to see if anyone was there at all.

He opened the door with his trademarked uncertainty, “Hey Kaede, you said you were already here. Why won’t you answer the d-”

Shuichi stopped directly in his tracks. This couldn’t be real. This isn’t real. This is a lie. How could she? No. Why would she?

Kaede looked down at him, her usual sweet and caring expression stripped bare of personality. It was now bare and cold, dried tear tracks the only evidence of once lively emotion. She swung lightly, her toes hovering just above the floor from the rope around her neck like a fatal necklace. A stool lay on the floor, toppled over below Kaede.

A note sat on the floor. Shuichi grabbed it and tried to read through his tears. It was hard to read through the loopy cursive, but he got the memo. He slid the note neatly in his pockets and called the police department.

Days, months, eventually a year later, nothing was the same. Kaito, Maki, Miu, and Shuichi couldn’t listen to a single piano note without the memories of a bubbly young girl haunting them. Miu left the friend group a few days after Shuichi officially joined. She couldn’t handle constantly being reminded of her dead girlfriend. They still stayed in contact, but she needed a fresh start.

Nothing was ever the same again.

-

Shuichi didn’t know how, but at some point, he passed out from crying. In his hands was his phone and Kaede’s final goodbye to him. On his desk, a picture frame laying face-down, a thick layer of dust covering it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I HAVE FANART FOR THIS FIC NOW!
> 
> [Traditional Siren Kokichi Sketch](https://thirkito.tumblr.com/post/610964565713420288/dream-sweet-in-sea-major-chapter-1-acidclovers)
> 
> Their @ is thirkito on tumblr!  
> 
> 
> Also I need Beta readers... please... anyone really
> 
> Just pls know what ur doing. You can have early access.


	4. Children born of one emotion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Umn... This chapter was really fun to write?
> 
> Sorry Shuichi LMAO

Shuichi technically doesn't legally work at the aquarium. The moment he turned sixteen, his father requested he started working there (at minimum wage at that. Something about it being a favor to the family and whatnot). Ever since he had been stuck at this side-job of sorts. At least his hours were extremely lenient and he could get away with most things normal employees could never.

He was currently leaning across a counter telling a group of small children whatever random fish facts he could think of. This mindless fact-spitting didn’t last long as he spotted his father in his peripheral. He quickly wrapped up the conversation with the young children and turned his attention to his dad. “Do you, uh, need my help for anything?”

“Yes, actually. Our guest isn’t responding to anyone and is keeping a distance from everyone. We need to change out its bandages otherwise the wounds will get infected. We’re hoping that since you dressed the wounds last time, it’ll trust you more and let you get close,” Shuichi’s father explained.

Shuichi sighed and left towards the direction he needed to go, barely acknowledging his request, but doing it anyway. Filling a drawstring bag full of medical supplies, he prepared himself to face the siren.

“Hello, I’m here to redress your wounds,” Shuichi announced and flipped the light switch on.

Kokichi was in the same corner as before, his eyes boring into Shuichi like a cat. He cleared his throat and climbed up the stairs so he could see above the tank. Kneeling, he put his hand in the water, making slow currents and disrupting the surface. In the back of his head, a voice sounding suspiciously like Kaito, warning him to be more cautious.

Kokichi shifted and began to slowly swim towards Shuichi. They held eye-contact until Shuichi could reach out and touch the other boy. There was a moment where Shuchi felt peaceful, looking into a pair of vibrant lavender eyes. Since when were they so bright? His pupils were pure white and softly glowed in the dark room. Shuichi leaned forwards to get a better look.

Faster than he could register it, a pair of clawed hands grasped around Shuichi’s throat. A pitiful choking sound squeezed through his throat as he tried to reach air. Shuichi tipped over from the force, falling into the tank. He struggled to pry Kokichi’s hands from his throat and kicked the other as hard as he could manage.

The pressure released immediately and Shuichi swam to the surface. He hauled himself onto the concrete and coughed so much it felt like someone left microscopic pieces of glass in his airways. Scrambling out of Kokichi’s reach, Shuichi rasped. “What the fuck? Are you crazy? I was trying to help you! Why would you do that?”

Kokichi looked like a kicked puppy, his lower lip trembling and his breathing irregular. His eyes welled up with tears and he started to whine. Kokichi was crying. For some reason, Shuichi felt horrible. That guilt melted when Kokichi’s hiccuping turned into manic giggling. “I can’t believe you fell for that! First, you’re stupid enough to let a monster get close to you, next you fall for fake crying! You should know that sirens can’t cry! It’s all fake! A lie!”

Shuichi could barely contain his rage and embarrassment before he stormed out. Probably to think, or to prevent him from doing something horrible. Mostly because he needed a change of clothes.

\- 

Shuichi sat at the edge of a fish tank, chucking in bits and pieces of meat to feed the inhabitants when he came to a horrific realization. How long had it been since Kokichi had eaten? Four, maybe five days?

He must be starving.

Shuichi dropped what he was doing and ran as fast as he could. He hoped he could make it up to the confusing boy. Rushing into the room, Shuichi fished out a fillet knife and a moderately sized fish (really, how much fish can you run with?). He made quick work and parted the flesh from the bone in quick and clean cuts. In just a few moments he had a clean-cut of fish in his hands. “I am so, so sorry. I forgot that you probably need to eat. You can eat fish right?”

Shuichi turned around to be greeted by Kokichi with his hands on the glass and his eyes glued to the fish in Shuichi’s hand. That probably answered his question.

Shuichi collected bandages on the first aid shelf and climbed the staircase, back to the top of the tank. He kneeled close to the tank, but just out of reach for Kokichi.

“Uh, so you tried to kill me yesterday? That wasn’t cool,” Shuichi began, keeping his eyes on Kokichi who was slowly swimming towards him, “if you let me change your bandages, I’ll give you this food?”

The uncertainty was prominent in Shuichi’s voice. He began to fidget as Kokichi approached the end of the tank. This reminded him of when Kokichi tried to strangle him yesterday, which didn’t help the tone of the situation.

Kokichi launched himself out of the tank, which surprised Shuichi since the other is supposedly low on energy. Instead of holding onto the fish, Shuichi dropped it and grabbed Kokichi by the forearm and dragged the rest of him out of the tank. Kokichi clawed at Shuichi, dragging dagger-sharp claws across his skin.

Shuichi winced but held Kokichi to the ground, flinging one leg over the side of the siren. Now straddling Kokichi’s hips, Shuichi began to change out the badges. Starting with the injuries on his arms, Shuichi struggled to fight against Kokichi who was instant on not staying still.

“Would you stop squirming? You’re making this more difficult for both of us,” Shuichi gritted his teeth.

“Let me go!” Kokichi demanded, craning his neck to try (and fail) to bite Shuichi’s hand. 

Shuichi quickly finished changing the first set of gauze and proceeded to grab the others shoulders and roll him on his stomach. He opened a pack of bandages and quickly ripped off the old ones to be replaced. “Ow! What was that for?” Kokichi hissed.

“I’m replacing your bandages. Shut up for one second, I’m trying to check if these are infected,” Shuichi, touched the skin around Kokichi’s wounds, checking for red and inflamed flesh.

Kokichi was cold, like ice, but other than that, he seemed to be okay. Rubbing the bandages over the slowly scabbing wounds, Shuichi released Kokichi from his grasp yet still placing a knee on his back. “Alright, I’m not done yet. I still need to change the gauze on your tail,” he announced, “Are you going to cooperate?”

Kokichi didn’t respond, but his body slackened so Shuichi assumed that meant he could proceed.

Shuichi winced as he unwrapped the gauze. The injury on Kokichi’s tail was pretty deep, but not infected. Unlike the lesser wounds, this one was still completely open, but not bleeding. There didn’t seem to be any debris in it, but the edges looked to be sensitive. “Is it bad?” Kokichi asked, his voice wavering.

“Well, yeah. It’s pretty deep and seems to be healing at a much slower pace than the rest of the cuts. It’s not infected and it doesn't seem to have anything caught in it. You’re quite lucky. I’m going to replace the covering now. It’ll be a little tight, but let me know if it’s too much,” He said as he began wrapping the gauze around Kokichi’s tail.

Finally finishing his task Shuichi rolled Kokichi on his back. The small boy looked tired, his eyes were sunken in and his skin pure white. There was no natural coloring in his face and shadows hung in his cheeks and under his eyes. Hooking one arm around his back and the other under his tail, Shuichi hoisted him back into the tank. “Thanks for semi-cooperating with me. I brought you food, and I’ll come back with more tomorrow,” Shuichi picked up the fish and extended it to Kokichi, almost as a peace offering.

Kokichi snatched it out of his grasp as if Shuichi would try and play keep-away with it. He dipped under the water, just out of Shuichi’s sight. It was quiet and peaceful for a few seconds… until he saw a finned tail and felt the cold salty water hit him, making his clothes stick to him. Shuichi could only sigh and leave to change his clothes for an annoying second time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RIP Shuichi 2020
> 
> Thank you so much picipek for being my beta!


	5. Believe me, darling the stars were made for falling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh gosh
> 
> I'm sorry for almost being late and I'm sorry that this chapter is so short
> 
> On the bright side, the fic is about to go into full swing!
> 
> Thank you so much pikipek for being such a patient and caring beta!

Kokichi sat at the bottom of his tank, his tail curled to his chest and cheek pressed against the cold glass. He ached all over and he was scared. God, he was so scared. Where was he? Who are these people who always walk by him? Who is Shuichi and why does he keep coming back?

His muddled thoughts were disrupted when he saw light from the outside flood the room. He looked over his shoulder and saw Shuichi. His body relaxed, he wasn’t in danger. In the other boy’s hand was a slab of fresh meat. 

Kokichi’s stomach growled and his mind urged to slam up against the glass to get it. But he waited, patiently. He waited for Shuichi to walk to the surface, and he waited for Shuichi to dip his hand in, signaling that he was welcome to appear. 

He swam to the surface but stayed out of safe reach from Shuichi. Instead, he pressed himself against the glass, an arm slung over the side to keep him in place. He may be weak and mostly harmless, but from what Kokichi understood, Shuichi was close with the guy who imprisoned him here. He couldn’t afford to pull any more stunts and risk his safety.

Shuichi pouted, obviously disappointed at Kokichi’s newfound hesitation. “I’m not going to hurt you. In fact, you’re probably going to hurt me. But you need to eat so please cooperate,” Shuichi pleaded.

Kokichi stayed where he was. He didn’t trust Shuichi, but he was afraid he wouldn’t have a choice. Thankfully, Shuichi gave in first, tossing him the meat from where he knelt. Kokichi caught it and tore it apart, consuming it faster than he should have.

He looked up after licking his hands clean. Shuichi was staring at him with a look of horror. “What? You’ve been starving me. No one said I had to be graceful,” Kokichi pointed out.

The tall boy shook his head and ran his hand through his hair, “Right. Kokichi, can I ask you a question? Please don’t lie about it this time.”

“Shure, go ahead! I can’t promise I’ll oblige though,” He shrugged.

“Good enough for me. What really happened to you? It’s impossible that you fought off five-something sharks. So what happened?”

“I fell off a cliff!” 

“No, you didn’t. You live in the ocean. There are no cliffs for you to fall off of.”

“Wah! C’mon, I definitely could have! Fine, you got me! I got hurt by that net your pop’s pulled me up with,” Kokichi lifted his finger to his upper lip, a habit he developed whenever he lied.

“You’re lying again. The net couldn’t have caused those wounds. They’re too clean and you would have gotten rope burn, not deep flesh cuts,” Shuichi reasoned.

“Wow, Shuichi! You sure are inquisitive! I give up, I’ll tell you what happened,” Kokichi’s expression fell and he reached up to fiddle with his checkered scarf. “Well, I got beat up by another pod leader.”

“I’m sorry what was that?” Shuichi asked, “You need to speak up.”

“I got beat up by another pod leader, and then your good old dad fished me out of the ocean and brought me here. Awfully inconvenient if you ask me,” the siren shifted, suddenly remembering his pod who are now leaderless.

“That’s horrible, I’m sorry that happened. It’s a good thing none of your vitals are injured,” the boy tipped his hat lower as if to prevent eye contact.

“Oh, that’s quite alright! This happens all the time! Getting beat up I mean, not abduction,” Kokichi grinned, “I think you’ve done more harm removing me than by accidentally picking me up!”

Shuichi looked baffled at his remark, “That really shouldn’t be normal. And if it is, why don’t you have scars?”

“I don’t know. Probably because we have to heal fast. If you're immobilized in the ocean, that’s it for you. Besides, it’s harder to lure humans in if you’re littered in scars,” Kokichi winced at his own words, his hand subconsciously reaching up to his throat.

Shuichi didn’t respond, instead, he crept closer to the tank’s edge. The air hung with an awkward silence, soon to be broken with a light cough. “Please let me tend to your wounds,” Shuichi pleaded, “It doesn't matter if you heal quickly. It matters that you heal properly. So please let me help you.”

Kokichi simply stared at Shuichi, tugging and messing with his scarf. Why did he want to help him so badly? What does he get out of this? Is this not a trap? Shuichi looks like he truly wants to help, but it could just as well be a trick.

He truly wants to help right? 

Kokichi slowly swam to where Shuichi knelt and lifted himself to sit next to him. Kokichi didn’t trust him fully, but he believed he wouldn’t do anything horrible. Besides, if Shuichi wanted to hurt him, he would've already done it.

Shuichi smiled and began unwrapping the bandages on Kokichi's arms and chest.

Shuichi’s eyelashes are really long… And he has a cute smile. A really cute smile.

Kokichi shook his head to rid himself of those thoughts. Not the time. Though he couldn’t deny that Shuichi is very pretty. Kokichi sat still throughout the whole procedure, neither of them saying a word. “There, all done,” Shuichi announced, “I’ve got to go now. But thank you for cooperating. Hopefully, that wasn’t a one-time thing.”

Kokichi watched the blue-haired boy make his leave. Before he could exit, Kokichi piped up. “Hey, Shuichi?”

“Yeah?” 

“Thank you,” He murmured.

Shuichi must have heard because he smiled and replied, “You’re welcome Kokichi.”

And now he was alone again. In a dark room with no company but his own reflection in the glass. Kokichi hated being alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading this! I hope all of you guys are doing okay in quarantine. Remember to drink water, wash your hands, and appreciate your loved ones.
> 
> That being said, I love comments so like, fuel me.


	6. It feels like flying but maybe we're dying

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much Pic (p_i_z_z_a_h_u_t) for being my beta! You mean so much to me!
> 
> I know it's early by a week, shush and take it.

The aquarium was bustling with children and adults alike. A new attraction had just opened, or something of the sort. Shuichi never kept track. 

It was all too noisy. Children were screaming and everyone was talking. Shuichi had found himself in this situation too many times to count. 

The noise was beginning to give him a headache and his mind was lagging. He needed an escape and there was one place he could think to go. 

The backrooms.

He didn’t even notice he was walking there until he saw the familiar metal door. Walking into the room his eyes landed on a familiar purple haired boy. He was dragging his finger across the glass in slow circles. He looked over his shoulder and jumped, surprised to see Shuichi. 

“Uh, hey. Sorry if I’m bothering you. It’s just very loud outside and I need somewhere to take a break. I hope you don’t mind,” Shuichi promptly explained.

Kokichi only stared at him from his spot in the tank, blinking slowly. He shifted his full attention to Shuichi, now that there was something more interesting in the room. 

Shuichi sat where he had most days prior and pulled out his lunch bag. It didn’t take long for Kokichi to appear in front of him. “Wow, Shuichi! You must really like me! Hey, Shuichi! Shuichi! Do you…” Kokichi paused and then cupped his hand to his mouth before continuing in a hushed voice, “Do you like, like me?”

Kokichi had leaned so far into Shuichi’s personal space that he could smell the salt on his skin. Shuichi could feel his face warm up with how close the other was. “I… No I don’t like you like that.” He leaned away from the other, creating some much-needed space.

Kokichi only laughed and moved away, seemingly catching the hint, “Nishishi, you know I was only teasing you, dear Shuichi!”

Dear Shuichi? Since when was he dear?

Shuichi chalked it up to Kokichi getting comfortable and dismissed his confusion. “So Shuichi, I get pretty bored all alone in my tiny cramped cage. It would be just fantastic if I had more room huh?” Kokichi flopped onto his back, laying on the platform while his tail made small splashes as it moved.

“What are you implying?” Shuichi asked, taking a bite out of his sandwich.

“I want a bigger tank. If you're going to keep me here, I want at least enough space for me to swim. I don’t want a silly enclosure that’s only large enough for me to stretch,” Kokichi explained.

“We can’t do that. This is our biggest unoccupied tank. Everything else is being used.”

“Aww, Shumai! I can share! It’s no problem really, I’ll be good! I promise,” Kokichi said a sickly fake sweetness in his voice.

Shuichi covered his face with his hand in embarrassment. Shumai? Where are these nicknames coming from? 

“I’ll… I’ll see what I can do,” He replied.

Kokichi pumped a fist hissing “Yes! A win!” under his breath.

“That doesn't mean it’s a yes. The request can still be denied. I have to take it up with my dad, and if I know him, It’ll turn into a debate.”

“It’s better to try and fail than not try at all!” The purple-haired boy quipped as he dipped himself back in the tank. “Hey, Shu! I’m curious. Answer my question.”

“Uh… What question?” Shuichi was taken aback by Kokichi’s demanding nature (and ridiculous nicknames) but was curious about what the other wanted to know.

“What is it like to walk? You know, with legs?” The other asked, his head resting in his arms.

What is it like to walk? How does anyone describe walking? It’s like breathing. You just put one leg in front of the other. But how do you explain that to someone who doesn't have legs? “I don’t know how to explain it. I just move one leg and then the other, I don’t think about it. It’s just second nature. Why do you ask?”

“Because it looks funny!” Kokichi giggled, lifting a finger to his lip (an action Shuichi noticed he did a lot).

“Oh, I don’t know what to say,” Shuichi sat in the silence he could now call comfortable, “But since I’m here and there doesn't seem to be much to do, may I ask another question?”

Kokichi hummed as if he was considering his options, “Sure, what do I have to lose?”

“Why do you lie?” Shuichi pushed his half-eaten lunch away.

Kokichi stared at him blankly. “Because it’s fun,” He stated blatantly as if it was an obvious fact. His bland facade crumbled when he broke into a toothy grin. “I’m just kidding, stupid! No one believes me in the first place, so why should I tell the truth when I can catch their attention with a ludicrous lie?”

Shuichi was once again at a loss for words. What was he supposed to say? That lying was morally wrong? Kokichi obviously wouldn’t care. He still wanted to know more, but how would he get the other to tell him the truth?

All he knew was that he had to get the mischievous boy to trust him.

Otherwise, Shuichi had so many questions about the other. He tried to keep his curiosity at bay, but it satisfied nothing. 

“Please sing for me, if that’s not too much to ask?” Shuichi didn’t know what spurred him to ask this and was shocked at his own forwardness. 

“Absolutely not, I could kill you. I don’t trust you and you certainly shouldn’t trust me,” Kokichi stated, distancing himself.

“I'm curious. I don’t remember what happened that first night except that when you started singing, my memory slipped. I want to know what it’s like and not almost-die.”

“And you think I won’t take this opportunity to kill you? What makes you certain you’ll survive this and remember it?” The siren asked, the fins on each side of his head flicking.

“Well, if you wanted to get out of here, you wouldn’t kill me. Besides, it would be counterproductive to kill the only person in this establishment willing to get within a ten-foot radius of you.”

Kokichi hummed, contemplating his options. Suddenly, without warning, the boy began to sing. It was beautiful and in-human. It sounded echoey, like an empty bathroom. Shuichi’s mind began to buzz and he couldn’t process anything but the singing and the source of it. He wanted to get closer to the subject. He could barely make out the words.

_Alone at the edge of a universe humming a tune  
For merely dreaming we were snow_

Shuichi leaned closer to the edge of the tank.

_A siren sounds like the goddess who promises endless apologies of paradise  
And only she can make it right  
So things are different tonight_

Kokichi stopped singing, watching Shuichi sit dangerously close to the edge. His pupils were milky white, reflective in the dim light of the backroom.

_We’ll go together in flight._

He started back up, a faint smile on his lips, more gentle than any other he shared.

_It’s now or never  
A reverie endeavor  
Awaits somnambulant directives  
To take the helm_

Shuichi reached his hand out, Kokichi well beyond his grasp.

_Believe me darling  
The stars were made for falling _

Kokichi reached his hand out to entangle Shuichi's. The other hand was cold but oddly comforting.

 _Like melting obelisks as tall_  
As another realm

 _With a strong tug, Kokichi dragged Shuichi towards him. Shuichi gasped when he hit the water, snapping out of his trance. All Shuichi could think was ‘God damn it, not even three days and I’m back IN the tank.’_

The poor boy hauled himself out of the tank and looked at Kokichi like a kicked puppy, “What was that for?”

“Nishishi! I told you not to trust me!” Kokichi said as if that was a reasonable answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Constructive criticism it much wanted/needed! Any feedback would be great! 
> 
> I hoped you liked this chapter, please stay safe! Wash your hands, take care of yourself, and tell your loved-ones you care and love them.
> 
> EDIT: I forgot to post a link to the song :"D
> 
> [Dream Sweet in Sea Major by Musical Miracle/a> Yeah, this is the song that spurred this dumb fic](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxyM7vhU0uU)


	7. Our devotion's deepest ocean

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The pandemic is giving me a lot of time to write, so you guys are going to get super early chapters. You can expect updates every week, or maybe even every few days.
> 
> Thank you so much pic for being my beta! (p_i_z_z_a_h_u_t on Ao3)
> 
> That being said, enjoy the chapter!

He was a wreck. She’s been haunting his mind, every day. Why? Why would she do that? Why would she leave him here, only to hope he could adapt? If he was being honest, he felt betrayed by her.

She was a social butterfly, making friends with whoever she talked to. He was secluded, seen as shy and difficult to bond with. Yet she found a way to properly befriend him. She was his first friend and he would never forget that.

When Kaede killed herself, he was devastated. He lost his only friend, the only person who bothered to push past his walls and earn his trust. All that Kaede left behind for him was a rushed note, her memories, and the relationships he had to continue for her.

She set him up to befriend her old ones, hoping he would learn to build his own bonds without her aid. At least that’s what he thought she did. He soon grew close with Kaito and Maki, though he couldn’t say the same for Kaede’s ex-girlfriend. Miu seemed to hold a grudge against him, as if he had something to do with Kaede’s departure.

Kaede seemed to be looking after him from beyond the grave, but not in the ghost kind of way. She introduced Shuichi to Kaito, Maki, and Miu to create a base of familiarity between them. In a way, that made it easier to interact with them and grow close together.

Shuichi couldn’t help but wonder, is he doing the same thing to Kokichi as Kaede did to him? It made sense in a way. Coming back, again and again, to break down walls and build a bond. It was unintentional, but it’s what he was doing. 

Kokichi is… different. He doesn’t seem to care what Shuichi thinks, only to ensure he gets released, bottom line. He does what he wants and he only does it in his own interest. He doesn't regard how Shuichi perceives things and certainly does not appear to care. He’s infuriating.

Shuichi doesn't get him and Kokichi’s morals and motives are constantly shifting. Trying to figure him out is like trying to solve a Rubix cube with more colors than sides. 

Now that he was thinking about Kokichi he remembered saying that he’ll speak with his dad and try to convince him to change Kokichi’s tank. 

Shuichi sighed and rolled out of bed, a little sad because he had made himself very comfortable. He walked down stairs and winced at the clock which read 2:17 pm. His dad was sitting at the table, typing away at a computer with a stack of papers beside him. Shuichi mentally braced himself for an argument. “Good evening dad, I have a request for you. I talked to Kokichi yesterday and he wants to transfer to a larger tank.”

Shuichi’s dad looked up from his work, “We don’t have any other spare tanks.”

“He said he could share with the other inhabitants,” Shuichi suggested.

“Okay, under a few conditions. You have to use one of the tanks in a closed-off section of the aquarium so no one sees it, and you have to do it by the end of the day.”

Shuichi nods in agreement and turns to leave his father's house. Starting the car, Shuichi started his short drive to the aquarium. He didn’t really live with his dad. He had his apartment on the other side of town but had been staying at his dad’s place since summer started to help at the aquarium.

He didn’t even like it there, but he felt guilty, leaving his dad to be in charge. His mom would have originally helped his dad, but she went missing when he was 17, just a year after he agreed to work with his father. In truth, Shuichi wanted to be a detective. He was in college, currently working towards achieving a criminal justice major.

Shuichi parked in the currently-closed parking lot. Unlocking the door, he walked down the mostly-empty halls. The only people here were coworkers who were on shift, feeding the inhabitants and cleaning the tanks. 

Shuichi bee-lined to the backroom with an empty wheelbarrow in hand. Upon entering the room, Kokichi already had his attention on Shuichi and what he was pushing around. The purple-haired boy grinned, barring naturally sharp teeth that put Shuichi on edge.

Dropping the wheelbarrow Shuichi ran up the stairs, to the very small platform attached to the edge of the tank. He waved Kokichi over, who arrived immediately. “So my dad agreed to let you change tanks, which is quite a surprise if I'm being honest. Here’s the deal, I’ll carry you to the wheelbarrow and cart you to the new tank and then push you to the drop off point of that. The issue is that we need to go through publicly open halls and rooms, so we need to be as quiet as possible. That means not talking or doing anything that will attract attention. My dad and I are the only people who know of your existence, with the exception of a few coworkers and Kaito. Do we have a deal?” Shuichi offered an outstretched hand.

“You bet Shumai!” Kokichi said, shaking Shuichi’s hand, his smile reflecting in his voice.

“You have got to stop calling me those ridiculous nicknames. When do you even come up with those?”

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I have a lot of time on my hands.” Kokichi lifted himself to sit on the platform. He tilted his head up to look at Shuichi in the eyes and reached up, making a grasping motion with his hands. “C’mon Shuichi, pick me up! I want to get out of here as soon as possible!”

Shuichi sighed and looped one arm around Kokichi’s back and the other under his tail like he had all that time ago. “Have I ever told you how childish you are?”

Kokichi merely stuck his tongue out and blew a raspberry.

The siren was lighter than Shuichi remembered, probably due to being severely underfed (that needed to be fixed). Carrying him downstairs proved to be a challenge, with the other's tail dragging behind him and trying not to trip over his own feet. Miraculously, he made it to the bottom and deposited the scrawny boy into the wheelbarrow.

“Alright, let's go. No talking remember?”

Kokichi nodded in understanding.

The first few rooms were empty, thankfully. Shuichi pushed Kokichi through the rooms of fish and odd marine life. Some of the hallways had employees in them, but none going their way. Shuichi couldn’t believe his luck, he had made it to their destination without being caught. 

The tank was a good size larger than the previous one, letting Kokichi swim freely with many little holes in the rocks, big enough to hide in. All the fish in the tank were good roommates and wouldn’t bother Kokichi (though he couldn’t say the same for them). The tank was built into the wall, due to the room being a closed section of the marine park. “Let’s get you in this thing,” Shuichi said, opening a door to the side of the tank with a staircase leading to the top.

Picking Kokichi up again he braced himself to climb the stairs.

“Hey, Shuichi! There you are! Maki-roll and I were getting worried about you after we checked your dad's house and contacted you several times. You should turn on your ringer at some time, it would save us some trouble!”

Shuichi yelped, dropping Kokichi onto the floor. He hadn't expected Kaito to be here, and certainly not Maki. He took a deep breath and sighed. “Why… are you here?” He whispered.

“Well, we were going to surprise you and get you out of the house, we haven’t heard from you in a good few days. When you didn’t respond, we checked here. Low and behold, here you are. By the way, what the hell are you doing?” Kaito eyed the wheelbarrow, the Shuichi, and then Kokichi on the floor.

“Yeah, uh… I’m moving Kokichi into a new tank. You kind of interrupted that,” Shuichi explained.

“Oh sorry, let me help you there,” Kaito moved to pick up Kokichi by the tail.

“Hey! Careful! Fins are very fragile!” Kokichi complained as the two other boys lifted him through the doorway.

It was much easier to get Kokichi to the top of the stairs with Kaito’s help, and together they lowered Kokichi into the tank.

“Thank you so much, my dearest Shu, your hospitality will not be forgotten,” Kokichi said, propping his elbows on the concrete floor.

Kaito raised an eyebrow and mouthed ‘Shu?’, Shuichi only shrugged.

All three of the boy’s attention turned to the doorway, where the clacking of footsteps could be heard. A few moments later and Maki stood in the doorway, heaving lightly. “You found Shuichi? Good. I just ran across the whole damn building, I hope you’re happy,” Maki turned and pointed at Shuichi, “Your notifications, turn them on.”

Right, his phone has been on silent since the seventh grade. He briefly checked his phone and saw 17 text messages and 3 missed calls. Yikes.

He put his phone down to see Maki and Kokichi staring at each other. “Oh right, introductions. Maki, this is Kokichi. Kokichi, this is Maki.”

“Shuichi, this doesn't make sense. Things like this shouldn’t exist. It doesn't make sense, it breaks the laws of nature!” Maki said, gesturing to Kokichi.

“Hey! I’m right here you know? Hasn’t anyone taught you manners? Did you grow up without a pod or something?” Kokichi remarked, jabbing a finger in Maki’s direction.

“Excuse me?” Maki slowly turned around to look Kokichi in the eye.

“You heard me? Don’t you have a pod? A family? It makes sense if you didn’t, you’re quite rude. Maybe if you didn’t sco-” Kokichi was cut off by Maki, who wrapped her hands around Kokichi’s neck and lifted him out of the water (Which was quite a feat considering Kokichi was not easy to carry around).

“Do you want to die?” Maki growled, “Next time you say something about my family, I’ll make sure you regret it.”

The fins near Kokichi’s ears pinned down and his teeth were bared, his nails digging into Maki’s arms.

Shuichi ran forwards to break them up, “Guys! Stop, this isn't necessary! Maki put him down,” He pleaded.

Maki dropped Kokichi who rubbed his neck, his face drained of color and expression shocked. The siren slid into the water, his tail trailing behind. 

Shuichi turned to Maki, “I am so sorry. He didn’t mean it like that. He didn’t know, I’m sorry!”

Maki sighs and links her arm with Kaito, “It’s alright I guess. Don’t allow him to do it again. We should hang out soon, isolation isn’t good for your health and we know how you get. Take care.”

With that, Maki and Kaito walked out the door. Shuichi looked at the still water, not a sign of Kokichi. He walked away, still shaken by the recent events.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, that's done! You can expect things to start speeding up from here on out! Stick around and stay safe. Remember to eat 3 meals a day, sleep for at least 8 hours, stay hydrated, and take your meds!
> 
> Edit: I forgot to say thank you for 1000 hits and 100 kudos! I know it's not much, but it means a lot to me! This fic finally hit 10k words, so it's by far my longest. Please leave comments and constructive criticism, it really means a lot and makes my day!


	8. You look quite divine tonight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that it's a little late. Also sorry if Kokichi and Shuichi seem ooc :')
> 
> I've been a bit insecure about my writing ability's as of late. Constructive criticism is appreciated.
> 
> Comments and Kudos feed my soul, so like...
> 
> Thank you so much Pic for being my beta :D

Shuichi climbed the steps to Kokichi’s new tank, medical supplies and food jostling in his arms. Setting down his cargo, Shuichi dipped his hand in the water and waved it around. That had become a ritual. Almost a greeting but mostly a calling. Soon enough, Kokichi appeared before him, propping his arms on the concrete like he had done so many times before. This was a routine now, and a nice one at that.

“I think your injuries have healed enough to take the wraps and bandages away,” Shuichi suggested, unwrapping the cloth on Kokichi’s arm.

He had been correct. The previously open wounds had now completely healed over leaving the faintest of scars. The deeper cuts had now scabbed over and were beginning to scar. “Alright, I can stop tending to these and let your body heal on its own. You still need to start eating properly, which will also help you recover completely.”

Kokichi looked up, a smile on his face, “Does this mean you’ll release me?”

A twinge of sadness shot through Shuichi, but he couldn’t figure out why. “Yeah, you’ll probably be released in a few days, maybe even tomorrow. Come on, you need to eat something,” Shuichi pushed forward the fish he prepared.

“I’m not hungry,” Kokichi pushed the plate away.

“You still need to eat,” Shuichi pushed the plate back.

“I don’t want to,” the plate was back to him.

“You need to,” the plate was with Kokichi.

“It’s for your health.”

“I’m fine, I don’t want it.”

“Why don’t you want it?”

The plate went back and forth until Shuichi gave up and kept it. He sighed and looked around, defeated. Wait… Since when were there so few fish in the tank? “Hey, Kokichi, could it be you don’t want to eat because you’ve already eaten today?”

Kokichi paused, looking away. Definitely a sign of guilt.

“You did, didn’t you?” Shuichi confirmed for himself, “You can’t just do that! Those aren’t for eating!”

“You can’t blame me! I haven’t eaten much since I got here, I was very hungry!” Kokichi defended himself.

“You could've just asked for food,” He said, burying his face in his hands.

Kokichi shrugged, “Sorry, I won’t do it again.”

“Thank you, that would be preferable.”

\---

It wasn’t Kokichi’s fault he was being underfed. He couldn’t help but feel a little guilty, eating half the fish in the tank. They weren’t even that good and were a hassle to catch. Nonetheless, he couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. After he genuinely apologized, which he didn’t do often, another silence hung in the air. Kokichi grew to hate this silence. It was awkward and he didn’t know how to deal with it. He would do anything to break that silence. “Hey Shuichi, wanna go for a swim?”

“Huh? What do you mean?” Shuichi seemed startled by Kokichi’s sudden request.

“You know what I mean!” Kokichi grabbed Shuichi’s arm and tugged him towards the water. 

“I...” Shuichi looked around frantically before his eyes settled on Kokichi. God, they were pretty. Hazel, but looking borderline gold. Shuichi cleared his throat, “Sure?”

With a yank, Shuichi fell into the tank. Underwater, Kokichi observed the other. Shuichi's dark hair spread around him like a halo, brushing by his cheeks, jaw, and forehead. He never realized how fragile he looked. Pale skin, thin body, and feminine features. His lashes were long too, touching his cheeks while his eyes were closed. 

Kokichi was thankful his eyes were closed because it would be a little awkward if Shuichi caught him staring. 

The taller boy swam to the surface, Kokichi following after. They looked at each other before Shuichi snorted, and started laughing. It was light and airy, echoing around the empty walls. “Sorry sorry, I’ve just been thrown into a tank one way or another so much in the past, what? Week?” Shuichi sighed, slicking back his hair. “It’s almost comedic.”

Kokichi splashed water at Shuichi's face, “It’s not my fault you’re so gullible.”

“I prefer trustworthy.”

“But you mean gullible.”

“Sure,” Shuichi rolled his eyes, “Anyways, don’t eat the fish in here.”

“Noted,” Kokichi said, watching Shuichi lift himself out of the tank.

Shuichi unbuttoned his suit (or was it a jacket? Kokichi didn’t know). Sliding it off, he wrung the water out and set it aside. He wore a white button-up, which was also wet and leaving nothing to the imagination. 

Kokichi had to avert his gaze before he thought anything dangerous. “Anyways, uh… What’s it like in other parts of this… place,” Kokichi tried to create some sort of conversation.

“It’s not much different than what you’ve seen. Just a bunch of rooms with marine life and cool lighting,” Shuichi rolled his jeans up and dipped his feet in the water. “It is more crowded, usually. Lots of kids and their parents.”

“That explains why it’s so noisy in the day!” Kokichi commented, looking at the very interesting floor. _Mmmn floor._

“What’s it like being, you know, a siren?” Shuichi asked, kicking his legs back and forth slowly.

“Surprisingly underwhelming. I can breathe underwater, obviously. Singing puts people in hypnosis. I have really good hearing out of the water, but average underwater. Oh! The little white spots on my fins glow in the dark!” Kokichi said itching the base of his neck.

“I know you can breathe underwater, but how? I don’t see gills on you,” Shuichi pointed out.

“Well, my hair covers them,” Kokichi replied.

Kokichi suddenly felt the cold rush of air on his neck, and the warmth of fingertips touching his skin. Kokichi inhaled sharply at the touch, flinching. “Ah, sorry. I shouldn’t have,” Shuichi apologized, jerking his hand away.

“No, it’s okay. I was just startled, that’s all. Just be careful,” Kokichi muttered, looking the other direction and his face feeling unusually warm.

Shuichi brushed his hair back and ghosted his fingers over the skin that formed his gills just under his jaw. It felt weird and made him squirmish, but he sat still and let Shuichi indulge in his curiosity. Shuichi stroked the skin that covered the actual gill. He was very gentle, his touch light and cautious.

The touch moved to his jaw, tracing it and stopping under his chin. “You’re purring, Kokichi,” Shuichi whispered and directed Kokichi to look at him.

Kokichi just now noticed the light rumbling in his throat and felt his face go from warm to unbearably hot. “Oh… I’m sorry,” Kokichi gulped wishing he had it in himself to pull away from the other boy, only a few inches from his face.

With his other hand, Shuichi tugged the scarf to expose Kokichi’s throat. He ran his thumb over where Kokichi vocal cords would be. “I noticed you have a nasty scar here. I thought Sirens didn’t scar?” Shuichi said, still observing the rough and uneven skin.

If Kokichi could scream, he would. “Well, not if the wound is deep enough,” Kokichi said.

“How did you get it? If I may ask.”

Kokichi’s gut dropped. There it was; The question. Before he could stop himself, Kokichi was running his mouth. “I lie… a lot, if you haven’t noticed. And in the pod I was born into, that wasn’t appreciated. One day, I took it too far and the leader, well… did this. I would have died if my dads didn’t stop Junko. She would've permanently muted me if she cut any deeper. Thankfully I still have my voice, but I can’t yell or scream or it causes me pain. I got booted from the pod and was alone for about a year. Being a lone siren is very dangerous and difficult. Food is hard to get and you can’t defend yourself against pods that find you to be a threat.”

Kokichi took a deep inhale, his voice shaking, “And then I met other sirens that were kicked, orphaned, or abandoned. I formed my own pod of ten members called DICE. They’re my family, I would do anything for them. We have a strict no-kill rule in our pod. No one is allowed to kill a siren or human. Damage, maul, torment, or traumatize them sure, but never kill.”

“Is that why you didn’t kill me?” Shuichi asked, his hands fidgeting in his lap.

“Yeah, I guess that’s a reason.” A weight in Kokichi’s pocket burned in his mind.

“I guess it would be rude of me to keep this after all you’ve done for me.” Kokichi took the thin, silver necklace out of his pocket and gave it to Shuichi.

Shuichi gasped and snatched it up, dangling it in front of him. The clear pendant, the shape similar to an obelisk, reflected light around the room. Shuichi's hand went to trace his neck. “I knew I was missing something and I couldn’t put my finger on it. This was my mother’s,” his voice cracked and a tear slid down his cheek.

“I hate that you took it, but I can’t blame you. Thank you for returning it,” Shuichi said, a smile on his face despite the tears forming at his eyes and the inconsistency in his voice.

A cold weight shifted on his neck, a soft _click_ echoing in his ears. Shuichi pulled away, tucking the pendant under his scarf. 

Kokichi’s breath hitched with Shuichi being so close. He was very close. All Kokichi had to do was lean forward and close the gap. Kokichi wanted to kiss him. 

Kokichi wanted to _kiss_ him.

Shuichi pulled away and He felt disappointed. The tall boy picked up his jacket and left, saying goodbye and waving over his shoulder.

Kokichi sank to the bottom of his tank. He didn’t know what to do. He didn’t belong here, but that boy sure as hell made it feel like he did. Kokichi played with the pendant and lay on the floor. He wanted that boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MMMN DEVELOPMENT?
> 
> and ooc, sorry
> 
> EDIT:  
> here's concept art I made for this chapter. Obviously it didn't happen like that  
> [DSISM Ch7 Concept](https://acidclovers.tumblr.com/post/615400882575753216/concept-for-my-fic-dream-sweet-in-sea)


	9. Now that existence is on the wake let's see what we can make

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shuichi sorts his emotions out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this came out a little later than I planned.

Shuichi walked as fast as he could down the halls. His face was flushed red and his heart pounded in his ears. _What the hell was that?_

Why did he touch Kokichi's neck? Why did he give Kokichi his necklace? Did they almost kiss?

Shuichi was very confused with himself and Kokichi. He couldn’t stop his lips from forming a smile as he thought of what just happened. He drove back to his dad’s home to get a change of clothes since his were still damp and smelled of saltwater.

He had agreed to hang out at a park with Maki and Kaito that day. It was only a few blocks from the house, but that was enough time to let his mind wander. 

Eventually, he approached the fountain, surrounded by small grass sections. Kaito and Maki were sitting on a bench, the latter resting her head on the other’s shoulder. 

Upon seeing Shuichi, Kaito stood up to meet the other halfway, dragging Maki with him. “My loyal sidekick! How was your day?”

“It was alright, I guess,” Shuichi muttered, toying with his sweater collar.

Maki raised an eyebrow. “Just alright? Is that why you’re grinning like a ditz?”

Shuichi was suddenly aware of how sore his cheeks were. How long had he been smiling?

“Yeah, I was wondering the same thing. So? Who’s the lucky lady?” Kaito leaned down to ruffle the smaller boy’s hair.

“I- uh… There’s no ‘mystery girl’,” Shuichi sputted. 

“Really? You haven’t smiled that much since you first met Kaede,” Maki pointed out.

Shuichi’s gut dropped at the name. They had all agreed to still refer to Kaede and acknowledge her existence, but it still hurt. The air was heavy as all three stood frozen in the moment. 

“Seriously Shuichi, you seem so… blissful. We just want to know the girl who got Mr. emo to crack a smile,” Kaito wrapped an arm around Shuichi’s shoulders

“Is she your girlfriend? Or are you going to pull the ‘just a friend’ defense on us?” Maki appeared on Shuichi’s unoccupied side.

“Guys, I don’t have a girlfriend. Am I not allowed to smile from time to time?” He ducked out of Kaito’s hold and looked to the ground out of embarrassment.

“Oh come on! At least tell us what she’s like!” Kaito was now using Maki as his personal armrest, but she didn’t seem to mind. “Is she nice? Or funny?”

“No, neither of those. She doesn't exist!” 

“So you’re in love with a fictional character?” Maki piped in.

“Absolutely not. My point is, I’m not in love!” Shuichi defended, feeling his face warm up from his friend's accusations.

“There’s no point lying to us. Everyone knows you’re a terrible liar, Shuichi,” Kaito sighed, “If you don’t want to tell us who she is, then fine. When you finally decide to introduce us to her, we’ll welcome her with open arms.”

The group fell into silence as they walked around the park. Shuichi didn’t _like_ anyone, so why was he smiling like an idiot? And how had he not noticed?

_Well I was hanging around Kokichi just before arriving here. Maybe that has to do with it?_

No, that doesn't make sense. Shuichi doesn't like Kokichi in the slightest. He tolerates the childish boy, sure, but he doesn't like him. Especially after the amount of times he’s been dragged into the cold and salty tank water. Not after he ate the fish he said he would be good “roommates” with. Besides, he’s difficult to figure out. The more he tries to travel through Kokichi’s reasoning, he just ends up walking in circles and arrives back at square one.

But he’s _fun_. He’s interesting to talk to. Even in a routine and confined space, the other always manages to find some way to make things different. Shuichi can’t help but think that he had made some progress with the difficult siren.

But he didn’t like him. Not in the way that someone’s heart flutters at a toothy smile or laugh. Not in the way that someone looks forward to every interaction with the person of interest. Not in the way that he was less tense around the other.

Not in the sense that it made you do stupid and impulsive things that you would never do with anyone else.

Shuichi’s hand traced his neck, where the phantom weight of a necklace used to be.

He couldn’t love Kokichi. Not because he made Shuichi happy and light heated. Not because Shuichi didn’t care around him. Not because he forgot about his dad, his volunteer “job”, or _her_.

Shuichi couldn’t like Kokichi because Kokichi is a siren. It just wouldn’t work. He would have to hold Kokichi hostage to keep him. Kokichi would never go home, stuck in a cage for the rest of his life. He would be like a pet.

Kokichi doesn't deserve that.

That’s why Shuichi is going to release him as soon as possible. That’s why Shuichi can’t love him.

“Hey, Shuichi… Shuichi. Hey Shuichi!”

Shuichi was brought back to the ‘real world’ by Kaito, who gave him a shake. “Are you okay?”

Both Kaito and Maki were looking at him, concerned. “Yeah I’m fine,” he said, although his heart wasn’t in it.

“That’s good to hear. We were a bit worried since you stopped walking and responding,” Kaito put a hand on Shuichi’s back, “If you aren’t feeling well, then you should go home. Actually, we should all go home.”

Kaito guided both of them back to the fountain where they would go their own ways. As the trio got closer and closer to Kaito’s car, Shuichi began to worry. How does he know if he likes Kokichi in that way? And how does he know if Kokichi likes him back?

Maki would know. 

The girl was serious and not at all into lovey-dovey stuff (as far as he knew), but she was very observant and has a second sense for other's emotions. She wasn’t dense and knew exactly how to read people, even if she’s a little awkward. He had to ask her now or Shuichi knew he would never get around to doing it. “Hey, Maki? Can I talk to you in private?”

Kaito looked at the two, a hurt look on his face. “What? Shuichi you can trust me too! You know that right?”

“I know, I know. It’s just… girl problems. Maki would know what to do, and I just want her opinion,” Shuichi forced the words out of his mouth. He wasn’t lying, but he was going to leave things out. For both of their sanity.

Maki looked up to Kaito and nodded, leaving him by the car. She grabbed Shuichi’s wrist and dragged him far enough that the tall boy couldn't hear them.

“So? Come on, tell me. What’s going on?” Maki demanded, crossing her arms.

“Okay, uh. This is cliche, obviously, but there’s this person I like. I don’t know how much, but certainly enough that it’s romantic. I don’t know if they like me or if I even have a chance,” Shuichi rambled, wishing he could hide his face behind his hat.

God damn it, he missed his hat.

“Well, tell me. How does she act around you?”

Shuichi swallowed. He would have to pretend Kokichi is a girl. For some reason that made him feel uncomfortable. He apologized to him internally. “Well, she’s difficult to read. One minute she’s playing some joke and it’s infuriating to get caught up into it. The next she’s serious and it feels like I’m in some fairy tale. She keeps me occupied and my thoughts are racing. She makes me forget and makes me feel relevant. No matter what kind of trick she plays, it’s okay because it manages to be _fun_. She’s just fun.”

Maki smiled, sighing through her nose. “Well, try dropping hints you’re interested in her. If she starts acting interested and starts flirting, you can assume she likes you. Of course, if she’s not the flirty type, then you’ll just have to pay attention to her body language. At the end of the day, if you’re interested in her, just say it. If you don’t confess she’ll lose interest and move on. She’ll find some other man.”

Shuichi looked to the ground. Kokichi wasn’t going to be confessing to anyone, but he isn’t going to be at the aquarium forever. Shuichi would at least like the other to know how he feels. “Come on, let's go home. We’ll give you a ride,” Maki said, guiding Shuichi back to the car.

Kaito said nothing and it was a quiet drive. The faint hum of radio music buzzed through the car as Shuichi sat in the back. It reminded him of when he thought Kokichi was a figment of his imagination. Oh, how far they had come.

The car stopped at his house. Shuichi hopped out of the car and waved goodbye as it pulled out of the driveway and down the road. He climbed the stairs to his room, releasing a heavy sigh once inside.

Shuichi sat at his desk, where papers and books were sprawled everywhere. He looked down at the only notebook that was open. The pages were wrinkled and torn, half of them ripped out. The writing was messy and smeared with tear stains. A picture of Kaede and him stood propped on the flat surface.

She looked so happy. Her smile was so infectious and beautiful. He longed to see her again. “I’m sorry Kaede. I’m sorry I didn't notice you weren’t okay. I’m sorry I couldn’t be there for you. I’m sure Rantaro would have forgiven you, it was an accident. He’s an understanding guy. I found this guy. He makes me forget you're not here anymore. He makes me feel okay. It won't work out, and that hurts. It hurts really bad, but I’m not going to keep him from his home. That wouldn’t be right, and probably illegal. Does the law apply to sirens? That’s stupid, of course it does. Kokichi’s a sentient being of human intelligence.”

Shuichi touched the frame of the photo, a smile on his lips. “I’m sure you would like him too. He’s difficult but you would get used to him. I feel like… I’m finally healing. I’ll never move on, but I’m starting to feel normal again, at least with Kokichi.”

Shuichi’s smile faltered. He closed the half-destroyed notebook and tucked it away with the rest of the various books. “I hope you’re proud of me.”

* * *

Shuichi had been on a high for the past few days. Every time he even thought of Kokichi, his lips would involuntarily flick upwards into a smile and his face would flush. It would immediately cause his gut to drop when he remembered exactly who Kokichi was and the complications around that.

Shuichi started wearing his hat again.

It wasn’t because he couldn’t make eye contact with people or he wanted to avoid interactions, he just felt more secure when he knew he could hide his face when it flushed.

It had only been a few days since he realized how he felt towards Kokichi and it’s been a living hell. He couldn’t be anywhere near the other before wanting to scream and melt through the floor. He found every excuse to visit Kokichi, only to bail before he even got there.

Shuichi had to get over himself.

That's why he was walking through the marine park halls on a weekend at six in the afternoon. His feet scuffed the tile as he walked towards Kokichi’s tank.

He could see the mop of purple hair through the glass as he approached. His heart fluttered as he got closer.

Kokichi must have caught movement in the corner of his eye because he turned around at lightning speed. When he saw Shuichi, he displayed a sharp row of teeth in a smile. Shuichi still found it unsettling. Kokichi swam up to the tank’s wall and pressed one hand to the glass and used the other to wave to Shuichi.

Shuichi had to tip his hat down to hide the growing blush on his cheeks. He pressed his hand to the glass and shivered at how cold it was. Kokichi’s hand was so _small_. The boy was much taller than him if you took his tail into account, but his hands were the size of a child's.

Actually, how old was Kokchi? Was it possible he was hundreds, if not thousands of years old? What if he was like, sixty, but didn’t physically age? Is he the same age as Shuichi? Oh god, what if he’s fifteen and he’s been crushing on a child?

Shuichi pulled his hand off the glass feeling a little weird. Climbing the steps, he kneeled by the water.

The moment Kokichi breached the surface Shuichi asked his question. “Hey, I know this is sudden, but how old are you?”

Kokichi stared at him blankly before seeming to register what he asked. “Oh, twenty, I think? I don’t know. The last time I celebrated a birthday was when I was eighteen, and it’s been maybe two to four years since I celebrated one?”

A weight lifted from Shuichi's chest. Great, so Kokichi is around his age, maybe a year or two older.

“So? How’s the weather? A nice day, am I right?” Kokichi said, waving off to nothing.

“Kokichi you haven't been outside for weeks,” Shuichi pointed out, “You don’t know what the weather is like.”

“So show me! Let out! I think it’s about time you let me go,” Kokichi said, smiling wide.

His enthusiasm hurt Shuichi, but he wouldn’t let that get to him. “Yeah, I have a wheelbarrow at my dad’s place. I could use that to take you to the beach?”

Kokichi jumped at the idea. “Yes, absolutely! When can we go? I want to go now! Shumai lets go!” he drew out the last syllable until he seemed to run out of breath.

Shuichi could barely keep track of what he was saying. Kokichi seemed so excited to get out of here. “Calm down, would you? I can’t take you now, but maybe later tonight?”

“It’s a deal!” the other boy forcefully took Shuichi’s hand and shook it.

The taller forced a smile, although he was sorrowful that his time was quickly running out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the cliffhanger (?)
> 
> All feedback is wanted and welcomed! My tumblr is acidclovers if you want to harass me
> 
> Remember to stay safe.
> 
> Thank you Pic for Beta'ing this hot mess
> 
> THE FIC HAS MORE ART!!  
> [It's from Chaper 8, but it's REALLY pretty](https://kiduyukikun.tumblr.com/post/616147956563902464/a-doodle-for-acidclovers-based-on-their-really) by Kiduyukikun on tumblr


	10. A line in any final song

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm late I know
> 
> Excuse the shitty chapter, I don't want to write it again. This was all written in class. I'm almost proud of that fact.

Kokichi stared out the glass of his tank like he had been doing for the past few hours.

Had Shuichi forgotten about him? He said he’d be back, but it’s been a while since he left. He seemed off too. Was he okay? Whatever, it was too late now. He had more important things to think about.

He was finally going home! He could see his pod again! Kokichi couldn’t help but feel excited. Sure, he would miss Shuichi and his dumb, tired, hazel eyes, and porcelain skin. But He wanted to be with his family!

Kokichi smiled. He would never get a chance to tell Shuichi how he feels, but the siren was more than happy to get out of this lonely tank. He beamed at the idea of meeting up with DICE again. His pod would be so happy to see him again!

Kokichi was pulled out of his thoughts by a familiar figure dragging something behind him. Shuichi left the object at the staircase and climbed to meet him. 

Kokichi hoisted himself onto the platform, sitting to face the water. The approaching footsteps alerted him that Shuichi was here. “Hey! Shu! Let’s go! I want to finally go home!” the boy lifted his arms to Shuichi, who was looking down on him. 

Shuichi was so pretty. It hurt him that this would be their end. He would never see this boy once he was released. That's sad. Kokichi couldn't help but feel regretful. 

_Maybe he would have confessed in another life._

“Yeah, yeah. Patience would you? You’re surprisingly heavy,” Shuichi linked his arms under Kokichi’s without warning.

He would have melted into the touch right then and there if he could, but he has a goal in mind. 

Shuichi grunted as he dragged the legless boy across the platform and to the stairs. He put Kokichi down in front of the steps. “I am not built for this,” Shuichi whispered before he picked Kokichi up again, bridal style. 

They ran/ stumbled/ fell down the stairs. It was an unpleasant experience, to say the least. “Wow Shuichi, that was _really_ graceful,” Kokichi cooed with mockery.

“Shush, don’t make fun of me. I’m trying,” He hissed, moving over to the object he brought with him.

It was like a large basin on wheels with a handle attached to the front. “Alright, I already filled the wheelbarrow with water. It was pretty heavy before so we might need to take breaks. Luckily it’s after open hours so no one should be here,” the tall boy explained. 

Ah, so that was a wheelbarrow.

“Sounds good! C’mon Shumai, I wanna go!” Kokichi whined.

Getting himself into the wheelbarrow was proven to be a difficult challenge since he had little to no upper body strength. Dragging Kokichi across the marine park was even harder. Shuichi had to stop a handful of times to catch his breath and rub his aching arms.

Eventually, they made it outside to a ramp that led down to the shoreline. Kokichi could feel his heart rate pick up. _He was so close!_

The finned boy looked excitedly at the crashing waters. The waves of excitement were growing stronger and stronger. Kokichi could just scream!

The moment they made it to the water, the air grew heavy. This is where they say goodbye, permanently.

Before Kokichi could say anything, Shuichi had beaten him to the chase. “So this is it, huh? This is the end of… us,” Shuichi said more to himself than to Kokichi.

“I guess so,” the siren, for once, was at a loss of words. How do you say goodbye to someone forever? “I’ll never forget you. Despite the fact I was a danger and gave you no reason to help me, you still did it.”

“I don’t think I had a choice. You were someone in need,” Shuichi sighed, lowering his face and hiding it behind his cap. “I would have wanted the same thing in your place.”

_Now none on that!_

Kokichi lifted the hat off of Shuichi’s head. “If you’re going to say goodbye to me, at least have the guts to look me in the eyes you know?”

“Right,” Shuichi muttered, observing Kokichi with flickering eyes. Kokichi would never forget that color. It was so old and bland on its own, but on Shuichi? They made him look wise and exciting.

“Kokichi I-” The tall boy paused, “I enjoyed your company. You are so difficult to unravel, but that's what’s fun. You’re... interesting. I just wish I had more time to truly get to know you.”

By this time, Kokichi had crawled out of the wheelbarrow and was laying in the sand. Shuichi looked like he wanted to say more. “Hey Shuichi, walk me out into the water for me, would you?” It sounded less like a snarky demand and more like a plea.

A faint smile. That was all he got as Shuichi walked to where the water could lap at his feet. “Yeah, I think I can do that.”

Shuffling into the water, the two boys made their way to the waves. Even rolled up, Shuichi’s pants had become drenched in seawater. The two of them stopped.

Shuichi couldn't go farther without having to swim. The water was sitting at his knees and the sand at his feet had a sudden dip. 

Kokichi felt his heart drop. He wouldn’t even get to tell Shuichi how he felt. “Goodbye Kokichi,” Shuichi said, breaking one last heavy silence.

“Hey, Shuichi?” Kokichi looked back at the other boy.

“Y-yeah?”

“I love you.”

Shuichi’s face flushed and he stood there, seemingly stunned. “W… what?”

“That was a lie,” Kokichi lifted a finger to his upper lip, “You know… cause I’m a liar?”

And without another word, Kokichi turned and hightailed it into the water.

His throat burned like Shuichi’s gaze back on the shore. He had some regrets, but it was far too late to go back now. He had to meet up with DICE. He had to see his family.

Kokichi forced a smile as he swam through dark and murky water. He was thankful he could see through it.

* * *

_Home sweet home._ Kokichi thought to himself as he approached the entrance of an old shipwreck.

It was deteriorating, as it was made of wood, but it made a perfect hideout for Kokichi and his pod. He swam to the entrance with caution, peering inside.

Empty? That’s weird. Maybe they were hunting?

Kokichi checked every crevice he could find. Nothing seemed to have changed. 

The same junk just, laying around. The sleeping quarters were still a mess, and so was Kokichi’s room. He picked up an old ceramic vase. _Where were they?_

It seemed… untouched, since he last saw it.

A sound of movement startled Kokichi, forcing him to drop the vase. “Hello? Is anyone here?” The fear in his voice showed.

“Kokichi? Is that you?” A very familiar scratchy voice called out.

“Who are you?” Kokichi clicked, backing away from the voice.

“It’s us,” A second voice chimed in. Two figures entered Kokichi’s ‘room’. “Hajime and Nagito. Your parents?”

A sigh released from Kokichi’s small frame. Relief. 

But why were his parents of all people here?

The two sirens responsible for raising the little gremlin called Kokichi looked him up and down.

Nagito was the first to rush him. “Look at you! You’ve grown so much! It just fills me with hope!” The white-haired siren scooped Kokichi into a hug. 

Hajime hung back, letting Nagito have his way. Which was squeezing Kokichi into a pulp. For a sick and dying siren, Nagito had grip. “Please pa, mercy,” The small boy wheezed, squirming in the others' grasp.

Hajime broke the two apart, his orange and green tail flicking in annoyance. He gave Kokichi his own hug, which had much less of a death grip. “We were so worried. We thought you were dead.”

Kokichi pulled away from the hug to look at his dad and pa in the eyes. “But I’m not! Isn’t that amazing? I got kidnapped by humans! It was pretty crazy,” the purple siren said, throwing his hands out to his sides. 

“Kokichi, don’t start lying to us now,” Hajime sighed.

Nagito and Hajime were the only beings safe from Kokichi’s lying. There was a bond of unbreakable trust between the three. The two older sirens agreed to raise Kokichi when he was only two and abandoned by his old family. They raised him like any parent would, even if Kokichi wasn’t their offspring.

“I’m not lying I swear! That’s what happened! I was scooped up by a fishing net, which belonged to some dude who owned an aquarium! Then his son, Shuichi, patched me up! They kept me there until I fully healed. I just got released!” Kokichi explained with a smile on his face.

Hajime and Nagito looked at each other in worry. “So you don’t know what happened to DICE?” Nagito whispered.

“What do you mean?”

Hajime approached his son carefully, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I’m so sorry. Kokichi, when you were taken, Tsumugi hunted down your pod. She… she killed all of them. Not a single member survived. She did it to claim your territory, but she didn’t know that you lived under a lager pods rule. We chased her out but…” Hajime paused, choosing his words carefully, “The damage was done.”

Kokichi was stunned. They were all dead. They were dead because Kokichi couldn’t get back to the water quickly enough. 

He sunk to the floor, his limbs refusing to work. “You’re lying to me.”

“We aren’t lying. We are so sorry,” Hajime said, sitting next to Kokichi.

“I don’t believe you. Where’s DICE? They have to be here somewhere. You’re all playing a prank, aren’t you?” Kokichi laughed, “You guys do love pranks! Well, you’re busted now! I’m home, you can stop hiding!”

Nagito shook his head, “They’re dead, and they aren’t coming back. It’s hopeless.”

“That’s not true! You’re lying! They can’t be dead! They can’t be!” Kokichi sobbed getting up from the floor.

“Kokichi…” Nagito reached his hand out but then retracted it.

Hajime got back up, “I know this is a lot to process, but you need to get out of here. Junko isn’t going to wait around for you to get to safety. The moment she finds out you’re alive, she’ll come looking for you.”

“But where do I go? I can’t go back to your pod because of, well, Junko. I can’t go on my own because I have two very powerful sirens out for my blood. I can’t stay here, because I’m in danger,” Kokichi stated, chewing on his thumb.

“Go back to Shuichi,” Nagito suggested, “You’ll be safe there.”

“But I don’t want to be cooped up for the rest of my life! I’m a siren, not a human! I can’t walk,” Kokichi jabbed.

Hajime sighed, “Kokichi, you aren’t a mermaid. You are a siren. You can have legs, and learn to walk. Learn to be like a human, build a new life on land. You’ll be safe, and far away from any threats that you’ll find here.”

“But growing legs is for last resort situations!”

“This seems pretty last resort if you ask us,” Nagito chimed in.

“Will I ever see you again?”

The older sirens looked at each other, then to Kokichi. “Not likely. This is goodbye. We’ll miss you, but don’t worry. You’ll be okay,” Hajime said.

Kokichi flung himself into his parent's arms, feeling both of them pull him into a hug. “We love you. Now go, there’s no time to waste,” Nagito said, pushing his son away.

“I love you too,” Kokichi said, looking at his parents one last time.

He turned and swam as fast as he could in the direction he came. Hopefully, there was a way he could contact Shuichi.

* * *

Kokichi had made it back to shore, in the same place he had left. The aquarium sat close to the beach with a concrete pathway going to the water. Yeah, this was the right place. 

What Kokichi didn’t expect was Shuichi, who was laying in the sand. The water was lapping at his left side, soaking his clothes and hair. As Kokichi approached, he realized the boy was sleeping. 

_Wow, he is stupid. Why is he still here?_

Kokichi hauled himself onto the sand so that he was lying next to Shuichi. He was laying in shallow water, which was fine. It would keep him hydrated.

Kokichi felt a little better next to Shuichi. Even if he had lost, pretty much everything, he still had Shuichi. 

Oh, how his life had changed. He would never see his family again, but it was for the best.

Hopefully, Shuichi would understand.

Kokichi didn’t know what caused him to do what he did, but he reached out and grabbed Shuichi’s hand. I was warm and smooth, unlike his cold and scaled ones. 

The siren closed his eyes holding the other boy's hand to his cheek.

He was so tired.

* * *

Shuichi woke up to the sound of rasping. Realizing he wasn’t at home, he shot up. Where was he?

The memories from the other night flooded back. Oh right, he let Kokichi go. The thought of that sent a sharp _pang_ through his chest. He stuck around the beach because he couldn’t bring himself to leave just yet and ended up falling asleep. 

But… What was that rasping sound? 

Shuichi looked around and saw the source of the noise. He almost screamed in shock.

Kokichi lay in the sand, squirming and gasping, as he was directly under the sun. Practically rolling Kokichi, back into the water, the dehydrated siren stopped thrashing. Did he just _kill_ Kokichi?

His worrying subsided when Kokichi shot up from the knee-deep water. After a good minute of gasping and heavy-breathing, Kokichi gathered himself together. “Thanks, Shumai! That was a close one!”

“What the fuck…” Shuichi said, before shaking his head and starting over. “Kokichi, why are you here? You should be back home? And why do you think it was a sane idea to beach yourself?”

“I decided that I don’t want to go home! Staying here with you is much more fun! And safer too!” Kokichi giggled, “So c’mon Shushu! Let's go back! I want to pretend to be bored while you try not to strangle me!”

Was Shuichi still dreaming? “Kokichi, I…” He couldn’t force the other boy to go back. “Are you sure?”

“One-hundred percent!” he beamed up at Shuichi.

“Alright, but if you ever want to go back, just say the word,” Shuichi picked up the tipped over wheelbarrow, which only had a small portion of water in it. He would have to be quick.

Lifting Kokichi with a grunt, he placed him in the transportation device. “I will never understand you,” Shuichi sighed as he hauled Kokichi up the beach.

It took him a solid hour to get Kokichi back into the tank.

The siren crossed his arms on the floor and laid his head against it. They were right back where they started. “Kokichi, are you okay?” Shuichi asked, taking a seat next to him.

“Yeah…”

“It doesn't sound like it.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

Shuichi sighed, “I was worried about you Kokichi. You could have died. You need to be more careful. You scared me.”

“I was scared too…”

Shuichi closed his eyes and leaned back. Now isn’t the time to tell the other how he feels. Sure he regrets not telling him before Kokichi left, but something was off. Kokichi was less responsive and seemed to stare off for no reason. 

His thoughts were interrupted when Kokichi seized up. The fins along his back trembled. He was biting his lips and his shoulders were shaking. Tears formed at his eyes and were threatening to spill.

“Kokichi, what's wrong?” the detective asked.

Kokichi took a shaky inhale. “My pod… they’re all dead. Every single one of them,” a coarse laugh slipped out of him. “I did nothing to stop it.”

_What does someone say to that?_

“Kokichi, it isn’t your fault. You were powerless. You couldn’t have changed anything, it’s not your fault.”

“Okay? They’re dead now. I can’t bring them back.”

“No, but there’s not much you can do besides carrying on.”

“Heh, you suck at comforting people,” Kokichi said, burying his head into his arms.

A pang of guilt shot through Shuichi. “I know, and I’m sorry.”

“Can I have a hug?”

That was unexpected, but it’s the least he could do. “Sure, anything if it makes you a little happier.”

Kokichi lifted himself so that he was sitting next to Shuichi. Without warning, Kokichi wrapped his arms around Shuichi. Stunned, Shuichi slowly wrapped his arms around the boy, resting by his shoulder blades. The sounds of sobs filled the room as Shuichi traced patterns on Kokichi’s back.

“I lied, Shuichi.”

“About what?”

“Oh, you know,” Kokichi whispered.

“I really don’t,” what does he mean?

“You’ll figure it out. You’re pretty smart.” Kokichi hummed and went slack in Shuichi’s arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't belive I've managed to write 10 chapters of this. 3 more to go!!
> 
> We're getting closer to the end! I belive next chapter is the moment we've all been waiting for.
> 
> Edit: I changed all the chapter names to better fit the fic


	11. We never meant to part

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys like this chapter! I know I loved writing it.
> 
> Thank you Pic, for beta'ing this, and all the other chapters!
> 
> If you want to reach out, my Tumblr is acidclovers and my writing blod is acidwrites !

It’s been a few days since Kokichi returned. Shuichi didn’t expect him to come back, but he almost felt glad he did. He knew it was selfish of him, but he couldn't help it. Even though Kokichi has virtually nothing left, Shuichi was at least relieved he could have a little more time with him.

Shuichi leaned against a wall with a deep sigh. His eyes felt heavy with exhaustion, as he hadn't properly slept in a few days. He shouldn’t be focusing so much on the siren while he’s at work, but it couldn't be helped.

The marine park was as noisy as ever. It wasn’t outright loud, but the presence of multiple conversations buzzed the air. Shuichi’s head rocked back and forth as his mind threatened to fade into sleep. Luckily, a coworker noticed him and tapped his shoulder. “Hey, Shuichi, you don’t look so well. Go take a break or something. If you need the day off, we’ll get someone to cover.”

Shuichi didn’t know how he got someone so kind and understanding as a coworker. He dipped his head in a half-nod and left the crowded room. At this point, Shuichi isn’t surprised when his legs took him down the hall, to where he knew Kokichi stayed. Running down the hall and up the steps, he stood at the edge of the tank.

Kokichi took no time to make his appearance, looking up at Shuichi with a light smile. He sat down, sighing and leaning his head against the far wall. He needed something to support his weight.

“So, Shuichi, what brought you here on this fine…” He paused as if he were trying to decide something, “evening?”

The uncertainty about what time of day it was somehow managed to get a laugh out of the boy. How could Kokichi seem so nonchalant after he’s just discovered his pod had died? “I’m alright, just tired. I’m more concerned with how you are.”

Kokichi’s smile faltered and he looked past Shuichi, his face blank. “I’m… okay. I’m still processing things, but I think I’ll be okay.”

That’s good, at least. Shuichi hummed in response, closing his eyes. 

For the first time since this ordeal started, the silence hung heavy and somber. It wasn’t awkward because neither could think of what to say. It wasn’t peaceful because they were comfortable. It was dark and weighted, neither of them knowing what to say. 

Shuichi didn’t know what came over him, but his chest felt heavy and his throat began to burn. His sight became blurry and his body began to tremble. _Why is he crying?_

Shuichi took a shaky breath in, trying to control the aching in his neck and chest. He bit down on his lip, squeezing his eyes tight. _What is he even crying about?_

He tucked his legs to his chest and turned his head so Kokichi couldn’t see the tears forming in his eyes. He knew it wasn't a pretty sight since his face scrunched up like he just sucked a lemon. He knew the rasping from trying to control his breathing sounded like sandpaper. He knew he looked like a fool, suddenly crying for no reason. _And in front of Kokichi too._

A pair of arms wrapped around his waist, dampening his clothes. “Shuichi, it’s okay to cry. A lot has happened, we’re both stressed. You should cry, it isn’t healthy to hold back.”

For whatever reason, probably because he had been given some sort of permission, Shuichi sobbed. His body and face slacked as tears rolled down his cheeks and past his bitten and bleeding lips. He clung lightly to Kokichi, cold skin under his fingers, and hung his head in the crook of Kokichi's shoulder, probably soaking the siren's scarf with his tears.

“If you want, you can talk about it. I’m okay with just listening if that's what you want.” Kokichi's voice was low, almost a whisper, as if he was trying not to scare Shuichi away.

He might as well, right? Shuichi took another deep breath. Where does he even begin? So much has piled up, so what does he say?

“I’m so tired, Kokichi,” Shuichi sighed into the other scarf, “and it’s catching up to me. I keep bottling in my deepest emotions, thinking they’ll go away in due time, but they just seem to fester. And I want to tell my friends about how I feel, I really do, but we always have a casual air and I don’t want to ruin the mood.”

“And well, that's fine and all, but it’s crushing me. Kaito and Maki are my only close friends. I used to have Kaede and Rantaro but they’re both dead. It’s fucked up because Kaede killed Rantaro, and then herself. It was a rough blow to lose both of them, but I’m getting better. I’m still sad about it, but I’m finally getting around to accepting it and moving on. I guess when you almost died a few days ago, I thought I had lost another friend. It… it scared me, and I guess I haven’t been sleeping well since.”

Kokichi took a moment to break away and look at Shuichi in the eyes. “But I’m still here, it’s alright. I won’t be going anywhere.”

Shuichi took a moment to process that. “Don’t you want to go back home?”

“I do, but it isn’t safe for me. I have nowhere to go. The only place I am safe is…” Kokichi grimaced, “Here.” 

Shuichi pulled Kokichi in for another hug. “Please never forget that I care about you. I’m so happy that you’re alive. I know how horrible it can be to lose someone close to you, even multiple. Never be afraid to come to me for help okay? I want to be there for you like you are for me.”

Now it was Kokichi’s turn to start crying. Ugly sobs filled the room as he clung to Shuichi’s clothes. Shuichi laced his hands into Kokichi’s hair, smoothing out the knots. “T-they all died because I wasn't there. If… if I was there, maybe they would still be here?”

Shuichi listened to Kokichi ramble about a leader called Tsumugi and each of Kokichi’s pod members. “Kokichi, even if you were there, you would have surely died. If all nine of your members died, odds are you would have too.”

Kokichi sighed into Shuichi’s chest. “Yeah, you’re right. I just wish I was at least there or could see them one last time. I didn't even get to say goodbye.”

Shuichi pried the other off his chest, placing his hands on the boy’s cheeks, wiping the tears away with his thumbs. “I know it’s tough, but at least you’re alive. I’m so happy I know you. I hate to sound sappy, but you’re the reason I get out of bed. You’re the reason I’m here nearly every day.”

Kokichi scrunched his nose. “Gross, you do sound sappy.”

“My point is, Kokichi, despite what you said before you left, I love you. I don’t know if you feel the same, but believe that I’m not lying. I love you.”

Kokichi’s jaw went slack, face still in Shuichi’s hands. His gut filled with dread. He just ruined everything. Kokichi doesn't love him and he just ruined a perfectly normal friendship forever. And the worst part is, Kokichi can’t run away. He’s stuck there and there’s nowhere he can go. 

Oh, God, he messed up. That was a bad idea.

Before he could open his mouth to apologize, something pressed up against his lips. It felt cold, like the hand that found its way to the back of his head. It tasted like salt from the ocean.

It tasted like Kokichi.

* * *

Kokichi pressed up against Shuichi, who felt warm and safe. A shock of panic went through the siren when Shuichi didn’t kiss back, but it ebbed away when he held Kokichi’s jaw and angled their heads to fit better.

They worked against each other, lips locked and teeth bumping into each other. It was slower than expected, but Kokichi wasn’t complaining, he wanted to make this last as well. Kokichi kept his initiative, sliding his tongue across Shuichi’s lip, asking permission to deepen the kiss.

Shuichi seemed okay with the idea, as he parted his lips, allowing Kokichi to do what he wanted. He wasted no time, running his tongue against the inside of Shuichi’s lip and darting it against his tongue. Shuichi mimicked him, trying to get the hang of… kissing. (Kokichi assumed this was his first.)

Shuichi broke away to pull the other up out of the tank by his waist. The hold didn’t last long, as Kokichi tipped forward, pinning Shuichi below him. “Woah, eager much?” Kokichi smiled down, tilting his head to the side.

The dark blush that appeared across Shuichi’s face couldn’t be missed and was quite cute. Kokichi leaned down to plant kisses on his cheeks, nose, and eyelids, before returning to his lips.

The two of them lost track of time, doing nothing but kissing. By the time one of them broke away, their lips and jaws ached. Kokichi giggled a little, and then a lot. It prompted Shuichi to laugh as well. Both of them laying on the floor laughing hysterically. 

When they had come down from their laughing fit, Kokichi turned to look at Shuichi in the eyes. “Shuichi, I love you too, and I always have,” he said, brushing the bangs from the detectives face.

Shuichi's face grinned and he looked down at Kokichi’s tail. “How would this even work? You’re a siren, and I’m, well, a human. I can’t keep you in a tank forever and call it love, and you know that.”

Kokichi bit his lip thinking about what his dads had told him. “I’ll grow legs!”

“What.”

“I’ll grow legs!” Kokichi repeated, “It’s something sirens can do, under dire circumstances.”

“Why didn’t you do this before?”

“Uh, because it’s super painful and I’m not one-hundred percent sure I want to do it. I don’t even know how to use legs properly.”

“Kokichi, that's amazing! I won’t force you to do it but,” Shuichi took both of Kokichi’s hands into his own, “If you choose to, I’ll do everything in my ability to teach you how to live. I’ll teach you the ins and outs of our society. I’ll teach you to be human.”

Kokichi smiled. Shuichi may just be saying that because of… recent developments, but Kokichi trusted him. He gave no reason to not take his word, so Kokichi nodded, accepting his promise.

Shuichi leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss to Kokichi’s lips. “Think about it. Whatever you choose to do, I’ll support it.”

The boy let go of Kokichi’s hands and walked away, down the stairs, and out of the room. When Shuichi was out of sight, Kokichi sank to the bottom of his tank, laying on his back and staring at the rippling surface. If he chose to switch to legs he would be escaping his past. He wouldn’t ever have to worry about the brutality that is the siren’s culture. He isn’t sure if humans are the same but based on how Shuichi acts, he assumes humans are much more peaceful. 

He would also get to be with Shuichi in a more intimate manner. He would no longer be stuck in a tank and he would be able to learn more about Shuichi. 

What if something bad happened and they split ways? Sirens bonded for life, but what if that was different for humans? Kokichi shook his head. Even if they went their separate ways, Kokichi would make sure he knew enough about their culture and customs that he could keep himself afloat. 

He would get a new start! He could make friends and build a new life! It was the perfect opportunity to start over. He would just have to make everyone believe he was born a human, which meant he would need to make up a background.

He would also leave everything he knows.

Kokichi already knew he wouldn’t be able to go back, but it still hurt. He already missed his family and pod, but they were gone. He said his goodbyes, and now he needed to decide if he were to rot in a tank or learn to function in a completely different body and society. 

Would the culture shock be too much? He was sure he could make it, but it would be rocky at first. He was guaranteed to mess up a few times and make a fool of himself. 

The transformation is painful too. With flesh and bones reforming itself? He was going to be in a world of hurt. No siren ever died from it, but it was infamous for being horribly painful. 

Kokichi sighed, watching the bubbles float to the surface. He’d figure it out. It would just take some time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally!! It has happened! Only two more chapters before this fic comes to an end. 
> 
> I got more fanart! Thank you so much MariaMoonshade for drawing these!!
> 
> [Siren Kokichi ](https://mariamoonshade.tumblr.com/post/617834749122183168/fan-art-for-the-fan-fiction-deam-sweet-in-sea)  
> [Scene from Ch 8](https://mariamoonshade.tumblr.com/post/617886774751002624/this-totally-didnt-take-me-12-hours-total-to)


	12. Higher than the sun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOO! I'm so sorry that this is so late. I kind of wrote this chapter brain-fried??
> 
> Anyways this chapter is very action and thought central, so you'll need to assume a lot of the dialouge.

Shuichi slammed the door open to his apartment. Dust lay on every surface, nothing being touched since the summer had started. He dropped the bags of his belongings by the door, re-exploring his home.

He told his father that he was moving back into his apartment because a friend's living space burnt down and Shuichi had offered his place to stay at. It wasn’t a complete lie, someone would be staying at his place (that is if Kokichi decides to go through the transformation), but it may be a permanent solution. He wouldn’t be spending summers at his dad’s house anymore.

On the bright side, he would possibly be teaching Kokichi how to function as a human! Which meant that they would be spending more time together.

A large goofy grin was plastered on his face, thinking back to what happened just the other day. He collapsed on his old bed, dust flying everywhere. _Kokichi liked him! And wanted to be with him! What were the odds?_

His smile faltered when he remembered what it would take to get Kokichi out of his tank… permanently.

Shuichi rolled off his bed, opting to start unpacking. He brought his notebooks, clothes, devices, and his pictures with Kaede. He had two, one of just him and Kaede and one of Maki, Kaito, Miu, Kaede, Rantaro, and himself.

It was a large group, but from what Shuichi understood, they were close. He just wished he were a part of it longer. 

It took him a while but eventually, he unpacked everything and put it in its rightful place. All he had to do now was rest. Tomorrow he would go to the aquarium and hopefully sort things out with Kokichi. 

Tomorrow…

* * *

Kokichi took a deep breath in. “Okay, Shuichi. I want to do it! I’m going to go through transformation!”

The tall male in front of him blinked slowly, trying to process what Kokichi just spit out. “What?”

“I’m going to go through the transformation!”

“Are you sure? It’s going to be pretty painful, and you won't be able to go back.”

“There’s nothing left for me out there anyways. The only way I can proceed fully with life is by transforming.”

Shuichi rubbed the back of his neck. “So, what do we need for it? And what are the steps?”

“Well, I need to dry up completely. I’ll probably pass out, due to pain, and my body will restructure itself. I’m going to need some clothes, water, and anything to help with the pain. Do you have anything like that? I hope so because I’m going to be in a lot of pain when I wake up.”

“Yeah, we have pain suppressants,” Shuichi said, tapping something on a flat, black slab.

“Great! You’ll also need to be there in case something goes wrong, and when I wake up to help me balance. I have no experience using legs, so you’ll have to assist me in moving around.”

“Alright, so when should we do this?” Shuichi asked.

“Now! There’s no better time I just need the pain suppressants and water and we’ll be good to go!” Kokichi practically yelled.

Shuichi nodded. “Okay, I’ll collect what you need. I’ll be back soon.”

Kokichi only smiled, waiting for Shuichi to leave the room. Once he was out of sight, the siren lay his head against the floor. His mind fogged with anxieties and worries.

He wasn’t looking forward to the transformation, as it would be extremely painful. The waiting was worse than the actual transformation (what he imagined it to be like, at least).

He stared off, trying his best to relax his mind before the big event. The echoing of footsteps jolted his body, alerting him Shuichi was approaching. Kokichi lifted himself out of the water, grunting as it took a lot of effort to support such a heavy tail.

“This is everything, I believe,” Shuichi announced, placing the requested objects beside him.

“Could you drag me farther out of the water?” Kokichi asked, staring intensely at the dark purple scales on his tail. All of that would be gone soon. He took a few of his on scales and yanked them out, flinching at the spike of pain it sent.

Shuichi tucked his arms under Kokichi’s tail and rotated him until the tail was mostly out of the water. “It all needs to be out. I need to dry up completely,” Kokichi said numbly, pointing at the limb.

Shuichi nodded, hauling the rest of the tail out of the water, and onto the floor. “So, how long does it take to dry out?” Shuichi asked, kneeling next to Kokichi.

“An hour, maybe two. Then I’ll start shifting, hopefully.”

“Hopefully?” Shuichi paled, a look of worry on his face.

“It might not even work. If I don’t start shifting after passing out, throw me back in,” Kokichi said.

“Will you be alright, if it doesn't work?”

Kokichi shrugged, staring at the ceiling. “More or less.”

The two of them lay in silence, waiting for Kokichi to dry. After what seemed like an eternity, Kokichi’s body started to numb, sending pinpricks up his spine. Those pinpricks soon formed into a stabbing sensation, causing the siren to hiss and squirm.

The pain only increased from there, washing over him in waves. His jaw clenched and tears formed in his eyes. He could barely sense anything outside his mind. Kokichi started focusing on the things around him, trying to conserve any sense of reality.

He could feel the cold floor beneath him, the tank beside him, and Shuichi on his other side. There was a hand in his own, which Kokichi only realized was there because he was holding onto it like a lifeline. 

Kokichi hissed an apology, and let go of Shuichi’s hand. 

At one point the pain seemed to dull, leaving an odd hum through his body.

But that was less because he was growing used to the pain, and more because he was slipping into unconsciousness.

* * *

Kokichi awoke with a massive headache. 

That didn’t stop him jerking and sitting up.

“Kokichi, calm down!” A soft and familiar voice said.

Kokichi turned to look at the voice and saw Shuichi kneeling beside him. 

Shuichi put his arms under Kokichi and lifted him to stand. Kokichi’s knees buckled and wobbled under his weight, causing him to yelp and cling to Shuichi's arm like a scared child. “How are you feeling?”

Kokichi groaned, clutching his head with the one free hand that wasn't grasping Shuichi’s sleeve. “Horrible, It feels like someone punched me in the nose and then shot salt up it.”

Shuichi fished something out of his pocket and placed it in Kokichi ‘s hand. “Pain suppressants. Take two.”

Kokichi held up a small ziplock bag, a few white, pebble-shaped objects at the bottom. Shuichi cleared his throat, “You take them with water.”

Kokichi followed the directions, grimacing at the effort it took to swallow the pills.

“The sooner we get out of here the better, my dad thinks you left a few days ago. I’m surprised he didn't want to be a part of it, but that just makes everything easier.” Shuichi wrapped one arm around Kokichi and another behind his knees. “I assume you don't know how to walk, so I’ll just carry you, okay?”

Kokichi nodded in response, gut lurching when he was lifted. Shuichi seemed to have an easier time transporting Kokichi with legs than with a tail. It made sense, mainly because Kokichi was always scrawny, even with a hundred-something pound tail.

Guiding Kokichi through the marine park with nothing but a ratty white cloth fastened around his waist, they stumbled to a metal figure parked next to the entrance. Shuichi explained that it was a ‘car’, something that is used for transportation and placed him in the passenger seat. 

The car ride was quiet, aside from the machine's buzz and the muted hum from the radio. Kokichi stared out the window, watching the trees fly by. There were so many things he did not recognize or understand, but he kept the questions to himself. He would ask Shuichi about the young humans playing on warped structures, the clusters of buildings, and fields scattered with humans working.

At one point the buildings started getting taller and taller until they seemed to reach past the sun. Shuichi pulled the car into a seemingly empty, multistory structure. Other ‘cars’ lined the walls, white lines between each one, making an unfinished rectangle.

Shuichi pulled into one of those rectangles, twisting a small piece of metal next to the wheel. He opened the door, and for a horrible moment, Kokichi believed he was going to be left there. Opposed to what he thought, Shuichi opened Kokichi's door and offered his hand as support.

Kokichi pulled on his hand, lifting himself out of the car. For a second he was falling, but Shuichi caught him, holding Kokichi up on his wobbly legs. He supported most of Kokichi’s weight as he stumbled like a “drunken man”(Shumai’s words, not his) out of the car ‘garage’.

Shuichi guided him onto a pathway paved with a grey rock-like substance. It was very smooth, unnaturally so. Many people walked by them, most giving him odd looks. Kokichi didn’t like those looks. They made him feel small (smaller than he was compared to most of these people. He knows he's short compared to them), they made him feel like he’s done something horribly wrong. 

A five-minute walk and Shuichi pulled him into one of those unnecessarily tall buildings, rushing to the end of it, flashing a lady at the desk some sort of card. Kokichi couldn’t have been more confused when he was guided into some sort of small box. He was already nervous being in such a small space without knowing why, but his anxiousness spiked when his gut lurched and he felt that they were going up. Kokichi clung tight to Shuichi, the upwards feeling reminding of him being in that net so long ago.

When the doors of the small box opened Kokichi pushed away from Shuichi, falling onto a soft floor, although it still hurt. Shuichi helped him back up. “Are you okay? You’re breathing quite fast.”

Kokichi hadn’t noticed, but it explained why his head felt so light and his stomach held a dull ache. “Yeah… I just feel… so sick,” Kokichi’s voice faded in and out as he tried to process his thoughts. 

Shuichi lifted him, this time carrying him down the hallway. Only a few doors down he stopped and pressed his card against where the doorknob would be. The door unlocked and Shuichi used his foot to nudge it open.

Kokichi was dropped on what looked like cushions with legs. He lay there and stared at the ceiling. His questions piled high, but his mind was so fuzzy he could bring himself to ask them. He closed his eyes, just trying to rest his throbbing head and aching body. He felt horrible, but emotionally? He felt relieved. He felt free.

A soft beeping and humming were in the background followed by a longer, louder beep. Shuichi entered the room holding a bowl with something that smelt _great_. “I figured you would be hungry, so I heated up some rice. I assume you can eat it.”

Kokichi sat up with a groan, “Thanks, can I just sleep after I eat? I’m… I’m so tired.”

“Yeah, of course. I’ll set up a futon for you, do you want some water as well?”

“Yes, please.”

Shuichi left to get him a glass of water. Kokichi ate his rice in silence while Shuichi set up the futon in another room (whatever that is).

Without exchanging words, Shuichi carried him to another room and set him down on the floor. Whatever this ‘futon’ is, it’s unrealistically comfortable, bending under his weight. Kokichi sighed, his mind immediately sinking into slumber. He was so tired, and he was grateful to finally have some rest.

In the back of his mind, Kokichi caught a faint, “Sleep well, Kokichi.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, only one more chapter left. Thank you so much for sticking around. I hope I can deliver a satisfactory ending.
> 
> Pic, you looser! Thank you for beta'ing, again. I wish I could offer more, but for now I can only offer my thanks and appreciation.
> 
> Fanart!
> 
> [DSISM fanart :D](https://orange-dinosaury-boi.tumblr.com/post/618883588047486976/i-sure-do-enjoy-not-looking-at-references-and-then)


	13. Until it's time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, this is the end. The last chapter. Thank you for being here, and extra thank you if you've stayed the whole 6-7 months. I got extra motivation, so it came super early. I'm going to thank my beta now because the end note is a mess. 
> 
> Thank you Pic, for sticking with me throught all 13 of these chapters. You were such a great beta, thank you, with all my heart. I couldn't of done this without you.

Shuichi dropped the groceries on his kitchen floor. He sighed and leaned against the counter, exhausted from carrying those bags so far. He had to restock his fridge, now that he was moving back in. He also stopped by a thrift store to get Kokichi some proper clothes after taking a few measurements.

Shuichi cracked the door open to his room and saw Kokichi, still asleep on his futon. He looked at peace, a gentle rise and fall in his chest. It was ten am and Kokichi had been sleeping for sixteen hours. At this rate, Shuichi was worried he would have to send Kokichi to the hospital for a coma. He sighed and closed his bedroom door, returning to the kitchen so he could prepare a meal (and by meal, it would probably be grilled cheese).

Halfway through heating up and greasing the pan a loud _crash_ echoed through the apartment. Shuichi tensed up startled by the noise and the very loud “Ow!” that followed. Shuichi flipped off the gas and ran to his room to see Kokichi sprawled on the floor rubbing his knee, which looked to have a pretty bad rug burn.

“Kokichi! Are you okay?” Shuichi asked, kneeling next to him.

“Yeah, I’ve never been better!” Kokichi sang, although the tears and bags under his eyes stated otherwise.

“That isn’t true, I’ll go get first aid,” Shuichi said before leaving.

He opened a drawer in his bathroom and snagged a bandage and some anti-burn cream. He was just outside his door when he heard another crash.

Shuichi slammed the door open. “Kokichi! What the hell?”

“I'm sorry, It’s not like I know how to use these things!” Kokichi said annoyance dripping from his voice, gesturing to his legs. 

“Just let me tend to your wounds,” Shuichi sighed, making Kokichi sit on his bed to fix his knee.

“Wow, deja vu much?” Kokichi laughed.

“Yeah, it's almost like I’ve done this countless times before.”

“Oh, come on. I know you like saving little old me from my own demise.”

Shuichi only shook his head as he applied the burn cream and bandage. “I bought you some clothes if you want to change into them. We could also go for a walk to help you get used to your legs and familiarize yourself with the area.”

“That sounds great! I’m super hungry though, is there anything to eat?”

“We could stop by a restaurant? I was going to make something before you woke up, but maybe we could make this a date?” Shuichi suggested, his cheeks heating up.

“A restaurant? Date?” Kokichi asked, tilting his head.

“A restaurant is a place where you order food and pay others to make it for you. A date is what people in relationships go on when they want to spend quality time together,” Shuichi explained.

“Are we in a relationship?” Kokichi said slowly.

Shuichi paused. _Were they in a relationship?_ Shuichi hadn’t thought of that. Did Kokichi even want to be in a relationship? He messed up again, with his consistent assuming of things. “Only if you want to be?”

“Wow wow wow, I’m courting Shumai? Aren’t I lucky!” Kokichi said, throwing himself down onto Shuichi.

He smiled, running his hands through plum hair. It was very messy and Kokichi smelled of salt and ocean water. “You do know how to stand right?” 

“Kind of? It’s a work in progress.”

“We should fix that before we spend our day, you know, walking.”

That spurred the next hour of Shuichi, guiding Kokichi around his apartment in teaching him how to walk and balance. It was rough at first, Kokichi taking wobbly steps and using Shuichi as support, but he quickly got the hang of it, eventually taking those unsure steps without the help of Shuichi.

“Alright, you just need to shower and we’ll go on that date, okay?”

Kokichi stared past Shuichi blankly, “Shower?”

“Clean yourself. You smell like a dead animal,” Shuichi blatantly stated. He guided Kokichi into the bathroom and showed him how to toggle the temperature and showerhead. “Shampoo, then conditioner. Wash thoroughly.” Shuichi handed him the two containers. “Water won't turn you back right?”

“Absolutely! I can't touch anything liquid!”

“Kokichi-”

“No, I think I’ll be fine.”

Shuichi huffed and closed the bathroom door, waiting to hear the rush of water before leaving.

It took Kokichi thirty minutes to take a shower, which is much longer than it should have taken him, but Shuichi wasn’t going to point that out right now. He then sat Kokichi down and dried out his hair with a blow dryer and comb, working out the knots. Admittedly, it was a lot softer dry. Despite the towel around his waist, Shuichi still felt embarrassed around a pretty-much-naked Kokichi, even if he was showing the same amount of skin than when he was a siren.

“Alright, you know how clothes work right?” 

“More or less. Some sirens wear clothes around our waist and torsos. I don’t understand leg clothes though.”

Shuichi explained how pants worked, one-step/ two-step/ wriggle, and offered the clothes to Kokichi. He waited outside the bathroom while the other got dressed. When Kokichi walked out he was wearing a basic white t-shirt, a light grey hoodie, (ugly) black and purple vans (?) and navy pants, his signature bandana scarf hanging around his neck. Shuichi caught the glint of a silver chain under the checkered cloth, recognizing it as his old pendant.

He looked so human, it was hard to believe he was ever some fish-boy his dad accidentally pulled out of the ocean.

Shuichi smiled, offering his hand to Kokichi, “Let’s go, I have a lot to show you.”

Kokichi took Shuichi’s hand pressing a chaste kiss to his lips, “It couldn’t possibly be as interesting as my dearest Shuichi.”

The two of them took to the streets, the smaller boy humming a tune as clear as glass and smooth as water.

Shuichi gazed into Kokichi’s eyes, warmth growing in his chest. He felt something familiar ring in his head. Something familiar, like looking over the edge of a small fishing boat, into an inky sea. Dark hair dripping over pale skin, swaying to the sound of his own music. A feeling that felt a lot like drowning. Something like dreaming sweet in sea major.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading Dream Sweet in Sea Major. It's hard to belive I started this last December, about half a year of hard work. I am so proud of it, as it's the first long term project I have ever compleated. I hope you are satisfied with the ending. Who knows, it might not even be the end! I might make a sequal, exploring how Kokichi adjusts to being human and being in a relationship. But for all I know, this is it. If you want to write something similar, have at it. Let me know so I can see it! Again, thank you. It really means the world that people have been reading this. at the time of compleation this fic has 3k hits, 250 kudos, and 20k words. Thats more than I ever thought it would amount to. So with that, mark this monster compleated. I'm off to the next project, but this is my first. This will always mean everything to me.
> 
> Thank you, and farewell. Until it's time.
> 
> My tumblrs are acidclovers (main/fanart) and acidwrites (writing)! Don't be afraid to reach out.

**Author's Note:**

> Fanart:
> 
> [SK](https://orange-dinosaury-boi.tumblr.com/post/619887529726967808/mm-yeah-i-did-it-again-and-now-a-list-of-things-i)  
> [Big sexy fanart for all of my mermaid/siren designs so far](https://skittle-skittle.tumblr.com/post/624458120509423616/ok-so-i-drew-these-because-i-have-no-impulse)
> 
> Credits:  
> Writer- AcidClovers (Percy)  
> Beta- Picipek (Pic)


End file.
